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Airlines Halt Flights In and Out of Israel after a Massive Attack by Hamas Ignites Heavy Fighting

Passengers wait at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, on October 7, 2023, as flights are canceled because of the Hamas surprise attack. (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP)
Passengers wait at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, on October 7, 2023, as flights are canceled because of the Hamas surprise attack. (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP)
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Airlines Halt Flights In and Out of Israel after a Massive Attack by Hamas Ignites Heavy Fighting

Passengers wait at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, on October 7, 2023, as flights are canceled because of the Hamas surprise attack. (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP)
Passengers wait at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, on October 7, 2023, as flights are canceled because of the Hamas surprise attack. (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP)

Major airlines have suspended flights in and out of Israel after the nation declared war following a massive attack by Hamas.
Israel hit more than 1,000 targets in Gaza and Palestinian Hamas group continued firing barrages of rockets, setting off air raid sirens in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Video posted online appeared to show a plume of smoke near a terminal at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport, The Associated Press said.
Scores of arriving and departing flights at Ben Gurion were canceled or delayed, according to the airport’s online flight board, which also showed a steady trickle of flights. Most were operated by Israel's national airline El Al along with others by regional carriers like Türkiye’s Pegasus Airlines and Greece's Blue Bird Airways.
American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines suspended service as the US State Department issued travel advisories for the region citing potential for terrorism and civil unrest.
American suspended service to Tel Aviv through Friday. The airline said that it has issued a travel alert providing additional flexibility for customers whose travel plans are impacted.
“We continue to monitor the situation with safety and security top of mind and will adjust our operation as needed,” American said.
United said it allowed two scheduled flights out of Tel Aviv late Saturday and early Sunday and accommodated its customers, crews and employee travelers who were at the airport. The airline said that its Tel Aviv flights will remain suspended until conditions improve.
Delta said its Tel Aviv flights have been canceled through Oct. 31. The airline said it's monitoring the situation and making schedule adjustments accordingly. The company said customers with canceled flights or who want to change their Tel Aviv ticket should check the Delta app, website or call Delta reservations to make adjustments.
Airlines in Europe and Asia also put flights on hold amid the hostilities, offering refunds and waiving rebooking fees for passengers.
Air France said that it has suspended services to Tel Aviv “until further notice” after coordinating with French and Israeli authorities.
“The airline is constantly monitoring the geopolitical situation in the areas served and overflown by its aircraft in order to ensure the highest level of flight safety,” Air France said on its website.
Germany’s Lufthansa, which suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv until Saturday, said Monday that the decision regarding its planes and those of its subsidiaries was made “due to the still unclear developing security situation in Israel and after an intensive analysis of the situation.”
The Lufthansa Group includes Austrian Airlines, Swiss and Brussels Airlines as well as Lufthansa itself.
Hong Kong’s main carrier, Cathay Pacific Airways, said that “in view of the latest situation in Israel,” it was canceling its Tel Aviv flights scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday.
“The safety of our passengers and crew are our top priority. We will continue to monitor the situation very closely,” the airline said on its website, adding it would provide another update on Friday ahead of its third weekly flight on Sunday to the Israeli city.
Virgin Atlantic canceled its service between London’s Heathrow Airport to Tel Aviv on Monday and Tuesday as well as part of that route on Wednesday.
Budget airline Wizz Air, which flies to Israel from Abu Dhabi and more than two dozen airports in Europe, said it was canceling all flights to and from Tel Aviv “until further notice.”
The U.K. discount carrier easyJet said that “due to the evolving situation in Israel,” it has decided to “temporarily pause operations," by canceling its Monday flights from London Luton and Manchester airports to Tel Aviv.
“Our thoughts are with those who have been affected and the safety and security of our passengers and crew is always easyJet’s highest priority,” easyJet said in a statement.
British Airways said it’s planning to continue operating flights to Israel “over the coming days with adjusted departure times.”
Dutch carrier KLM said it’s scrubbing flights to Tel Aviv “until and including Wednesday.”

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Arab World

Egypt Rescues 28 People in Tourist Yacht Sinking in Red Sea

Sea Story had no technical problems, obtained all required permits prior to the trip, and was last checked for naval safety in March. (Red Sea Governorate on Facebook)
Sea Story had no technical problems, obtained all required permits prior to the trip, and was last checked for naval safety in March. (Red Sea Governorate on Facebook)
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Egypt Rescues 28 People in Tourist Yacht Sinking in Red Sea

Sea Story had no technical problems, obtained all required permits prior to the trip, and was last checked for naval safety in March. (Red Sea Governorate on Facebook)
Sea Story had no technical problems, obtained all required permits prior to the trip, and was last checked for naval safety in March. (Red Sea Governorate on Facebook)

A tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea on Monday after warnings of rough waters and 16 people were missing, Egyptian officials said.

The governor of the Red Sea region, Amr Hanafy, said rescuers saved 28 people from the vessel south of the coastal town of Marsa Alam, and some were airlifted to receive medical treatment.

Hanafy visited the site where the vessel sank, according to a Red Sea Governorate update on Facebook. A total of 44 people were on board the yacht, including 13 Egyptians, who include crew members, and 31 foreign nationals from the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain, and Ireland.

The governor confirmed that rescuers were still searching for the missing, including four Egyptians and 12 foreigners. Meanwhile, those who survived suffered only bruises and abrasions and were taken to a hotel in Marsa Alam in good condition.

The Egyptian military was coordinating rescue operations with the governorate.

The boat, named Sea Story, had no technical problems, obtained all required permits prior to the trip, and was last checked for naval safety in March, according to officials.

Preliminary reports, based on statements from the yacht crew and tourists, said a large wave crashed into the boat, causing it to capsize, according to the governorate’s update. Some of the passengers were inside the cabins when the incident unfolded within minutes, according to the statements.

The UK Foreign Office said it was providing consular support to “a number of British nationals and their families” after the sinking.

Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs also told The Associated Press in an email that it is “aware of this incident and is providing consular assistance” without revealing further details.

Meanwhile, Spain’s Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of any Spanish nationals among the missing. The ministry said that five Spanish nationals were rescued and are out of danger.

The governorate received a report shortly before dawn Monday of a distress call made from the yacht, which had left Marsa Alam for a five-day journey.

It was not immediately clear what caused the four-deck, wooden-hulled motorized yacht to sink. But the Egyptian Meteorological Authority on Saturday warned about turbulence and high waves on the Red Sea and advised against maritime activity for Sunday and Monday.

Meanwhile, founder of the Society for Marine Rescue and Environmental Conservation in the Red Sea Hassan al-Tayeb told Asharq Al-Awsat that the yacht likely sank because of the poor weather conditions, citing meteorological reports a day before the incident.

The vessel had set sail before the weather warnings were made.

Tayeb stressed that such accidents are uncommon and that vessels are inspected by the concerned authorities before taking any sea journey.

He did not hold anyone in Egypt responsible for tourist vessel sinkings, explaining that ultimately, the weather is out of anyone’s control.