Due to the Israel-Hamas conflict, several countries cancelled their flights to Israel cities. As per recent reports, Cathay Pacific cancelled all flights from Hong Kong to Tel Aviv till the year-end. Here is what the airline plans to do.
Cathay Pacific Cancelled Flights Between Hong Kong & Tel Aviv!
Due to the Israel-Hamas crisis, Cathay Pacific, the flag carrier of Hong Kong, said on Sunday that all flights between the city and Tel Aviv will be cancelled until the end of the year. All Cathay Pacific flights between Hong Kong and Tel Aviv will be discontinued from today till December 31, 2023, the airline announced in a statement on its website. Additionally, it advised consumers to keep checking their accounts for updates on departures after December 31.
Israeli authorities estimate that at least 1,400 people, predominantly civilians, have died in Israel as a result of the onslaught by Hamas on October 7. According to the Hamas-run health ministry in the enclave, Israel’s retaliatory attacks on the Gaza Strip have resulted in more than 4,300 Palestinian deaths, the majority of whom were civilians. In light of the situation, Cathay Pacific is suspended all their flights to Israel.
In an effort to provide customers flying to Tel Aviv with secure alternatives, US airline Delta announced last week that it was cancelling all flights to the nation. Over the past weekend, flights to Tel Aviv were also cancelled by American Airlines, Air France, Lufthansa, Emirates, and Ryanair. El Al, the national airline of Israel, said it would continue operating flights to Tel Aviv for the time being despite the cancellation of several flights run by international partners.
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El Al said in a statement that it was operating in compliance with the security forces’ directives. Also, all flights were now only leaving from Terminal 3 at Ben Gurion airport. Many nations are seeking to repatriate their citizens who are in the region after issuing travel advisories against visiting Israel and the adjacent country of Lebanon.
Other Airlines That Cancelled Their Services
The state-owned airline of Morocco, Royal Air Maroc, announced that all flights to and from Israel had been cancelled. From October 19 to 30, Royal Air Maroc has cancelled all flights from Tel Aviv. After that date, the airline will conduct a review based on the circumstances at that time. The Moroccan government-owned airline stated that the cancellation was “due to the current situation in Israel.”
Israeli airport authorities warned that there was a “security threat” near Ben Gurion Airport. At the time a British Airways flight that was en route to Tel Aviv was forced to reroute. Wizz Air and Virgin Atlantic also changed their schedules and cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv.
According to Association of British Travel Agents, travel to Israel is not recommended by the Foreign Office unless necessary. If anyone is planning a trip to Israel soon, they should talk to their travel agent or tour guide.
If they have booked a package and their trip has been cancelled owing to the change in advice, they can choose to postpone their departure date, travel to another location, or get a full refund.
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Further, they must talk to their airline and lodging providers about the possibilities if they are going on their own.
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia
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