From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
British Airways announces cancellation of Israel flights as plane diverts from Tel Aviv
Amy Spiro is a reporter and writer with The Times of Israel
A British Airways flight from London to Tel Aviv turns around just before landing at Ben Gurion Airport and appears to be heading back to the UK, citing security concerns.
Most international airlines have canceled flights to and from Israel in the wake of the war launched following Hamas’s brutal invasion on Saturday.
While British Airways continued flying until now, shortly after the flight diverts the airline announced that it is also suspending its service to Israel.
Data on flight tracking site FlightAware shows BA flight 165 arriving just to Israel’s coast before turning around and seemingly heading all the way back to London.
Hamas has repeatedly targeted Ben Gurion Airport with its volleys of rockets, aiming to shut down the international hub.
