Amendment to Israeli law favored by airlines has yet to ensure continued flights to Israel
An amendment to Israel’s Aviation Services Law, favored by international airlines hesitant to resume flights to Israel, successfully passed its first reading in the Knesset last week.
The amendment reduces the requirements for airlines concerning the compensation they are legally obliged to grant to travelers whose flights are canceled or delayed.
Since the ongoing war began in October 2023, many airlines have determined that continuing flights to Israel is not economically viable, considering the number of cancellations.
While the amendment must undergo its second and third readings in order to be passed into Israeli law, it is expected to do so without difficulty.
Several airlines that favored the amendment, however, have not yet announced any changes in their plans regarding flights to Israel, Globes reported.
“Aviation industry sources say that there is almost no contact with foreign airlines with a view to them resuming services to Israel,” the report stated, “despite the fact that many of them stated that the amendment to the law was their condition for doing so.”
It also noted that since the war began, the number of foreign airlines flying to and from Israel has been cut from 90 to 26.
The Times of Israel reported that “a group of 15 major foreign carriers started lobbying the government to make amendments to the Aviation Services Law to help reduce compensation costs and make a return of services to Israel feasible.”
Among airlines supporting the amendment was Irish airline Ryanair, which has said it will not continue flights to Israel until Terminal 1 at Ben-Gurion International Airport is reopened.
Air France has also said it would cancel flights to Israel for another week.
Only one airline, Air Seychelles, announced its intention to resume flights to Israel since the Lebanon ceasefire was announced last month.
It remains to be seen if the passing of the new amendment will be sufficient for other airlines to follow suit.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.