From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Cathay Pacific extends suspension of flights between Hong Kong and Israel until March 2025
Sharon Wrobel is a tech reporter for The Times of Israel
Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. suspends all flights between Hong Kong and Tel Aviv for the rest of the year and until the end of March 2025.
The Hong Kong carrier says it “temporarily” cancels all routes to and from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport until March 27 “in view of the uncertainty related to the ongoing situation in Israel.” Earlier this year, Cathay Pacific announced that it halted all of its flights to Tel Aviv up to October 24, 2024.
Passengers who are booked to travel on Cathay Pacific flights between Hong Kong and Tel Aviv up to March 27, 2025, can “rebook, reroute or refund their travel without the usual fees,” the airline announces.
“Despite our best efforts, alternative flights are very limited in the current situation, severely restricting rebooking options,” Cathay Pacific says in a statement.
As war broke out with the shock Hamas-led October 7 onslaught in southern Israel, Cathay Pacific joined major international airlines in halting flight services to Tel Aviv. In recent months, many foreign carriers, including Lufthansa, Swiss, Air France, Austrian, Delta, and United Airlines, resumed their operations to Tel Aviv albeit with a reduced flight schedule.
Among other foreign carriers that have suspended flights to Israel until further notice are Air Canada, Virgin Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Pegasus Airlines.
