Bluebird Airways to Pay Passengers Up to 400 Shekels for Canceled Flights
Translated & summarized from NEWSru Israel by baba
Bluebird Airways will pay up to 800,000 shekels in compensation to passengers stranded abroad due to canceled flights to Israel. The settlement, filed with the Tel Aviv District Court, offers up to 400 shekels per person as a discount on future flights. The compensation is for passengers affected by flight cancellations between February 18, 2022, and the agreement's approval, who did not receive necessary assistance. The agreement requires court approval and is separate from a broader legal consideration regarding airline obligations during wartime.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Bluebird Airways will pay 800,000 shekels to compensate passengers stranded abroad.
- Eligible passengers will receive compensation as a discount of up to 400 shekels on future flights.
- The lawsuit concerns passengers unable to return to Israel during a 12-day airspace closure in June 2025.
- Passengers must have purchased tickets for canceled flights between February 18, 2022, and agreement approval.
- The settlement agreement is pending approval by the Tel Aviv District Court.
- A separate case regarding airline obligations during wartime is before the Supreme Court of Justice (BAGATS).
A settlement agreement has been filed with the Tel Aviv District Court in a class-action lawsuit against Bluebird Airways. The airline has agreed to allocate 800,000 shekels to compensate passengers stranded abroad due to flight cancellations to Israel during military operations. The lawsuit was initiated by passengers unable to return to Israel during "Operation Lion's Roar" in June 2025, a period when the country's airspace was closed to commercial flights for 12 days. Plaintiffs alleged that the airline failed to provide legally mandated assistance, including accommodation, food, and transportation, forcing them to cover their own expenses.
Bluebird Airways had contested these claims, arguing that during a prolonged airspace closure, it was not obligated to cover passenger expenses as it could not arrange alternative flights. Following court recommendations, the parties reached a compromise. Under the proposed agreement, Israeli residents who purchased tickets for flights to Israel canceled due to security-related airspace closures between February 18, 2022, and the agreement's final approval, and who did not receive necessary assistance abroad, will be eligible for compensation.
The compensation will be up to 400 shekels per person, provided not as cash but as a discount on a round-trip ticket purchased on the Bluebird Airways website. Passengers can apply for compensation after the court approves the agreement, and the discount will be valid for two years. Details on the application process will be published on the airline's website and in newspaper announcements. The agreement is pending court approval.
Separately, the Supreme Court of Justice (BAGATS) is considering the obligations of airlines to passengers stranded abroad due to the war with Iran. Bluebird Airways opted to settle its dispute with passengers rather than await the court's decision.