Low-cost Wizz Air nixes Tel Aviv flights till April 7, setting back Israel hub plans

In a blow to Israeli travelers, Hungarian low-cost airline giant Wizz Air said it will postpone its resumption of flight services to and from Israel at least into April amid expectations that the war on Iran will drag on for weeks.

Wizz Air said it will extend the cancellation of flights to and from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport through April 7, a day before the end of the Passover holiday season. The airline had previously suspended Tel Aviv flights through March 29.

In the weeks before the outbreak of war with Iran, the popular budget carrier had been preparing to establish an operational aviation hub in Israel as early as March or April, which could have boosted competition and brought down sky-high fares.

British Airways, meanwhile, postponed the resumption of its own Tel Aviv flights to June 1, citing the “continuing uncertainty of the situation in the Middle East and airspace instability.” The airline also canceled all flights ​to and from Amman, Bahrain, and Dubai.

Wizz Air and British Airways joined a host of foreign airlines, which have been nixing flight services to Tel Aviv after the Israel Defense Forces said this week that its campaign in the joint war with the US is preparing for at least three more weeks of operations in Iran.

Wizz Air rival British low-cost carrier easyJet has decided to stay away from Ben-Gurion Airport until the fall, while other major carriers, including the Lufthansa Group and US airlines, such as Delta and United Airlines, have voided the route for the coming weeks. As of now, it’s unclear when they will return.

Israel’s airspace has been shut to most commercial traffic since February 28, when joint attacks with the US on Iran began. Earlier this month, Ben Gurion Airport gradually reopened for limited inbound flights operated by Israeli airlines El Al, Arkia, Israir, and Air Haifa to repatriate more than 100,000 Israelis stuck abroad. Flag carrier El Al said it is currently operating 20 percent of its regular flight schedule due to the security situation.

In recent days, the country’s main gateway has also partially reopened for outbound flights, but only by local carriers and initially with no more than 100 passengers per flight. This week, passenger restrictions started to be eased gradually. On Monday, Israeli airlines were permitted to operate flights to North America at full capacity until further notice, lifting the limit of 100 passengers per flight. And beginning Tuesday, the cap was raised to 120 for destinations in Europe.

Meanwhile, Israir has frozen sales for its regular flight schedule through April 12, and will continue to operate flights to destinations in Europe as approved under the state framework. El Al has extended the cancellations of regular flights through March 21.

Arkia’s regular flight schedule is canceled through March 28, and ticket sales are on hold through April 5.