Foreign Airlines Resume Flights to Israel Amidst New Operational Challenges at Ben Gurion Airport

After three years of conflict and instability in the Middle East, several foreign airlines have recently resumed flights to Israel. In the past few weeks, Swiss carrier SWISS, Germany's Condor, and Brussels Airlines have landed in Israel, with Dutch airline KLM set to return next week. Additionally, American giants United Airlines and Delta are expected to restart flights in September, potentially reshaping the air travel market between Israel and the United States. Despite the Israeli market's profitability, some airlines remain hesitant; for example, Ryanair has not operated in Israel for over a year, and American Airlines announced it will not return before March 2027 due to regional instability.

However, as airlines return, new difficulties have emerged at Ben Gurion Airport. Check-in counters have been locked, and ground service providers have been ordered to cease operations, creating chaos during the peak summer travel season. This disruption stems from a strike by the airport workers' union, which has delayed and canceled flights for tens of thousands of passengers. The strike undermines the airport's reliability and Israel's image as a stable destination, ironically causing more harm than external threats. Industry observers warn this labor unrest is precisely the unwelcome news foreign airlines feared and could jeopardize their continued return.

The situation highlights the fragile balance between recovering international air traffic and internal operational challenges. While the return of major carriers signals a hopeful normalization, the ongoing strike at Israel's main airport threatens to stall progress and damage the country's global connectivity and tourism sector.