US airlines halt flights to Israel as war erupts
Major U.S. airlines are suspending flights to Israel following the attacks by Hamas this past weekend.
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines each halted flights to Tel Aviv, and the U.S. Department of State issued a travel advisory for Israel, warning of a "dynamic security situation" for Israel, the West Bank and Gaza in a Monday statement. Delta said Monday it would not resume flights to Israel until November.
The Federal Aviation Administration also issued a Notice to Air Missions on Saturday, saying to "exercise caution" when flying over Israel at all altitudes due to the "ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza."
American, Delta and United are waiving change fees for the travelers affected by the events in Israel.
International carriers like Lufthansa, Air France and KLM have also suspended services to Tel Aviv. However, a few international carriers, such as Emirates, Turkish Airlines and British Airways, are still flying to Tel Aviv as of Monday, giving travelers the chance to evacuate the country.
British Airways is changing its schedule so that flights will depart from London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) in the morning instead of the afternoon, according to Bloomberg. The U.K. carrier is also waiving change fees.
El Al Israel also increased its capacity in the country this past weekend and said it is "operating as scheduled" to counter the cancellations. The Israeli carrier also confirmed to TPG that it is capping flight prices based on duration — one-way flights up to two hours cost $299; flights four to six hours are $499; and flights at least six hours long cost $899. Baggage is also included in the capped fares.
The slew of cancellations come after Hamas launched a surprise attack in Gaza on Saturday, which has since erupted into one of the biggest wars in Israel's history.
So far, the death toll of the war has neared 1,300. President Joe Biden confirmed in a statement Monday that at least 11 U.S. citizens are reported to have died in the war, but that number is expected to climb.
The State Department implored U.S. travelers to exercise caution in Israel and check with airlines on the availability of flights.
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