US Airlines Resume Flights to Israel After War Pause

Delta Air Lines resumed its flights to Israel on Monday, with the first aircraft landing after a months-long suspension. The flight originated from New York and is scheduled to return to New York later the same day. This marks the first flight since the "Operation Iron Swords" conflict and follows Delta's announcement in March to halt services until September.

United Airlines is also set to reintroduce its flights to Israel on September 8, operating two daily flights between Newark and Tel Aviv. Both airlines, along with other international carriers, had suspended their services to Israel during the conflict, impacting travel and competition on routes to the United States.

The return of these major US carriers is expected to intensify competition on the popular Tel Aviv-New York routes, particularly as the holiday season approaches. Adding to the competitive landscape, Israir has received approval from the Israel Civil Aviation Authority to operate flights to the US and plans to apply to the Federal Aviation Administration for permission to fly to New York.

Despite recent regional tensions, including renewed Iranian attacks in Jordan and the Persian Gulf, the aviation industry in Israel had feared further delays in the resumption of flights. However, these concerns did not materialize, and the airlines are proceeding with their planned return.