More airlines are pausing flights to parts of the Middle East as recent attacks in Lebanon and Iran stoke fears of a wider regional war. And once again the delicate balance of the travel industry is affected by global events a world away.
Several American and European airlines have cancelled flights to Tel Aviv in the coming days including:
- United Airlines
- Delta
- Lufthansa
- British Airways
- Austrian Airlines
It's unclear if the pause in service will be extended beyond the end of the week. In the case of Air Canada, safety concerns prompted the airline to further suspend service to Israel for several additional months.
On 11JUL they released a statement which said that "due to the ongoing uncertainty in the Middle East, Air Canada is further pausing operations to and from Tel Aviv until mid-October. The next flight from Toronto is now scheduled for Tuesday, October 15th, 2024, and service from Montréal is now scheduled for the summer of 2025. We remain in contact with the Canadian Government. We continue to closely monitor the situation and will adjust our plans accordingly."
Several flights to Beirut by European carriers have also been suspended until at least 05AUG after Israel threatened reprisals for a rocket strike launched from Lebanon. The affected airlines include:
- Lufthansa
- Swiss
- Eurowings
- Air France
- KLM
Jordan’s flag carrier Royal Jordanian suspended flights to Beirut on Monday and Tuesday, but resumed service on Thursday. Flydubai said it would operate only two daily flights to Beirut, rather than the scheduled three until Friday.
Tensions in the region are having a wider effect on global travel. Emirates said that passengers transiting through Dubai on their way to Beirut would not be accepted for travel on Thursday and Friday. The airline added that travellers who started their journey in either Dubai or Beirut would still be accepted.
A report in Travel and Tour World said that the flight changes underscore the travel industry’s need to adapt swiftly to geopolitical developments.
"These changes not only affect the airlines but also have broader repercussions for the tourism industry in Lebanon and the Middle East. Reduced flight availability can lead to decreased tourism, impacting local economies reliant on travel and hospitality," they noted.
A spokesperson for G Adventures wouldn't say whether they were cancelling any trips to that part of the world but added "since the start of the conflict, interest in the region has of course dropped but we're not seeing any further slowdown since the recent reports of heightened tension."
An ABC report quoted an anonymous Western diplomat whose country is involved in efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region that he anticipates that any retaliation from Israel would be within boundaries that would not lead to an all-out war.
“It’s clear that they (Israel) want to take a stance but without leading to a generalized conflict,” he said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. “It’s sure that there will be a retaliation. It will be symbolic. It may be spectacular, but it will not be a reason for both parties to engage in a general escalation.”
