From the Liveblog of
Monday, March 2, 2026
El Al planning to operate repatriation flights from 22 destinations once airspace opens
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSharon Wrobel is a tech reporter for The Times of Israel
Israel’s flag carrier El Al says it is planning to operate flights from 22 destinations across Europe, the US, and Asia to repatriate Israelis stranded abroad once Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport reopens.
In the first phase, El Al is preparing to operate repatriation flights from New York, Miami, and Los Angeles in the US; and Bangkok and Phuket in southeast Asia. Across Europe, flights will be operated from Larnaca, Athens, Rome, Milan, Paris, Budapest, Tbilisi, Sofia, Warsaw, Bucharest, Madrid, London, Barcelona, Geneva, Amsterdam, Munich and Zurich.
Repatriation flights for El Al and Sundor ticket holders whose flights were canceled will be at no additional cost. Flight tickets will be opened for sale to the general public only after all El Al and Sundor customers have been repatriated, El Al says.
Israel’s airspace, which has been closed since the US-Israel attack on Iran on Saturday, is not expected to reopen until at least Wednesday.
Subject to approval by the government and security agencies, El Al is also considering offering flights chartered by KlasJet planes for El Al and Sundor customers from nearby destinations in Europe, to the Taba airport in Egypt or Aqaba airport in Jordan. These flights will be offered free of charge for El Al and Sundor ticket holders.
The Times of Israel Community.