El Al Cancels Planned Direct Flights to Hanoi Following Shin Bet Security Directive

El Al has announced it will not operate its planned direct flight route to Hanoi, Vietnam, which was scheduled to launch in October. The decision came after Israeli security authorities, under the guidance of the Shin Bet and responsible for Israeli aviation security, informed the airline that it could not grant the necessary approvals for flights operated with Israeli aircraft and crews. Prior to the announcement of the new route, El Al had received preliminary approvals from relevant authorities, including security agencies, and had invested significant operational and commercial resources in preparation. However, after completing these preparations, the security authorities ultimately denied the required clearances, leaving El Al no choice but to cancel the route's launch. The airline stated that the cancellation will be implemented gradually according to scheduled departure dates, and customers will be notified starting next week.