Israeli Court Rejects Class Action Lawsuit Over El Al Vouchers

A couple who received flight vouchers from El Al following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023 has had their request for a class-action lawsuit rejected by the Haifa District Court. The couple had purchased non-refundable "Lite" class tickets for a flight to Prague, but due to the cancellation of their connecting flight with Smartwings and the general security situation, El Al offered them vouchers instead of adhering to the original ticket terms. The couple received vouchers totaling $305, valid until December 31, 2024, for flights departing by December 30, 2025. They later claimed the voucher terms were illegal, citing issues with their validity period and usage restrictions, and that they should have been entitled to a cash refund for the difference if they used the voucher for a cheaper flight. They even sold the vouchers for $240, a loss of $65.

El Al argued that the vouchers were an exceptional benefit granted due to the war, exceeding their obligations under the original Lite ticket terms, which offered no refund. The airline stated the couple ultimately flew to Prague in March 2024 using the vouchers but chose a different airline offering a cheaper price, and that selling the vouchers at a loss reflected their own financial decision, not a violation by El Al.

Judge Ibrahim Bolous distinguished between different passenger categories, noting that the couple's vouchers were a goodwill gesture during a crisis, not part of a commercial strategy. He cautioned that treating such emergency aid as standard commercial transactions could deter airlines from offering similar assistance in the future. The court did not rule on the validity of voucher terms for passengers who purchased different ticket classes or services, as the couple did not belong to those groups. The court dismissed the class-action request on October 7, 2026, and ordered the couple to pay El Al NIS 20,000 in legal costs.