El Al Cancels Hanoi Route Due to Security Clearance Denial

Israeli airline El Al announced on Thursday that it must cancel the planned launch of its flight route to Hanoi, Vietnam, due to the lack of required security approvals. The decision came after Israeli security authorities, operating under Shin Bet guidelines, informed the airline that they could not grant the necessary clearances for flights operated with Israeli aircraft and crews. Prior to announcing the route, El Al had received preliminary approvals from relevant bodies, including security agencies. However, after completing operational and commercial preparations and investing significant resources, the company was informed that the flights could not be authorized. Without the essential security permits, El Al had no choice but to cancel the route's opening.

The airline also stated that passengers who purchased tickets for the Hanoi route will have several options: they can travel to Hanoi via Bangkok with a connecting flight on a foreign carrier at no extra cost, change their ticket destination to another city served by partner airlines on the same dates without additional fees, or receive a full refund or a credit voucher for future use. This cancellation follows concerns raised about security threats affecting Israeli flights during the summer, with the Airports Authority chairman assuring that no flight cancellations would occur due to refueling aircraft issues.