Lufthansa limits Tel Aviv flights amid Iran fears sparking ‘chaos and uncertainty’

The hasty decision by the Lufthansa Group of carriers to cancel some of its flights to and from Israel for the coming days amid tensions over a potential US attack on Iran is stoking fears that other foreign airlines may follow suit.

“The decision brings back chaos and uncertainty, although no one knows what will happen and when,” Mark Feldman, CEO of the Ziontours Jerusalem travel agency, told The Times of Israel. “There is chaos to try and rebook stranded passengers on alternative flights with little availability and options, which is causing disruptions and delays for travelers.”

Citing the “current situation in the Middle East,” the Lufthansa group – whose carriers also include SWISS, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings – announced late on Wednesday that it will cancel all night flights to and from Tel Aviv and Amman starting Thursday, January 15, through Monday, January 19.

In recent days, tensions spiraled over the Iranian regime’s lethal crackdown on protests in the country and amid indications that an American strike on the Islamic Republic could be imminent. US President Donald Trump repeatedly warned, as demonstrations grew, that the regime’s use of deadly force against protesters would lead to American intervention.

Iran warned that should the US attack, it would respond by targeting Israel and US bases in the region.

On Thursday, reports emerged that Gulf states led efforts to talk Trump out of an imminent attack.

“It is not acceptable to act on a rumor or an indication and cancel flights when Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport is fully functioning, not a single missile has been shot, and there is no credible threat,” said Feldman, criticizing the Lufthansa decision.

While the German airline group continues to operate daytime flights, it is canceling flights from major European cities, including Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, and Zurich, that were scheduled to arrive at Ben Gurion Airport in the evening and throughout the night. The group said the reduced schedule will allow its flight crews to fly back directly without an overnight stay in Israel.

The move comes after foreign airlines repeatedly suspended flight services to and from Israel over the past two years, as Israel fought wars with Hamas, Iran, and foes on other fronts, leaving travelers with limited options relying mostly on local carriers El Al, Arkia, and Israir. The scarce competition drove up plane ticket prices to exorbitant heights.

But with the onset of the ceasefire in Gaza in October, brokered by Trump, all that started to change. An increasing number of foreign airlines that paused service during the war have returned to Ben Gurion Airport in recent weeks. And for Israeli fliers, the unusually high airfares of the past two years have been showing signs of coming back down to earth as well.

While for now, the Lufthansa group’s decision is an isolated cancellation, there is concern in the local travel and aviation industry that it may indicate a trend of a return to conservative policies on the part of foreign airline companies, given the security uncertainty.

“Luckily, we are not in peak travel season, but we are preparing ourselves in case some other foreign airlines cancel,” said Tali Noy, vice president of marketing and sales at the travel agency, ISSTA. “After the recent war years, we are used to working in emergency mode.”

Similarly, Ilana Capauner, VP Commercial and Aviation at Ofakim FCM, said that the decision by Lufthansa, a major airline group in Europe, has an “impact” on the rest of the global aviation industry.

“If Lufthansa cancels flights, it leads to a sentiment for other foreign carriers to consider cancelling as well,” said Capauner.

Feldman argued that currently, there is no actual threat for foreign airlines to suspend their flight services to and from Israel.

While the UK and the US issued updated Israel travel warnings this week, British and US airlines, including British Airways, Delta, and United Airlines, continued their flight services with scheduled arrivals and departures to and from Ben Gurion Airport.

The UK Foreign Office issued a new travel advisory for Israel, warning British citizens to avoid visiting the country for “all but essential travel. The US Embassy in Jerusalem publishes a new security alert advising American citizens that “given ongoing regional tensions,” they should “review any travel plans in case of disruptions, and make appropriate decisions for themselves and their families.”