British Airways Extends Flight Cancellations to Israel Through October 2026 as Etihad Expands

British Airways Extends Flight Suspensions

British Airways announced earlier this week that it is extending the suspension of flights to most Middle East destinations through the end of the summer flight schedule, at least until October 25, 2026. Affected destinations include Tel Aviv, alongside Dubai, Bahrain, and Amman. According to the airline, regional security uncertainty and difficulty reaching a stable arrangement with Iran led to the decision to continue freezing routes, even during the busiest travel season of the year.

British Airways plans to resume flights to Gulf destinations Doha, Qatar, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in August. Qatar Airways holds a 25% stake in British Airways' parent company, International Airlines Group. This selective resumption highlights differing assessments of route viability across the region while Tel Aviv remains affected through the stated period.

Etihad Airways Expands Operations to Tel Aviv

Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi, announced that starting June 15, it will increase service to 42 weekly flights on its Tel Aviv route. With 6 daily flights between Ben-Gurion Airport and Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport, the TLV-AUH route will become the most frequently traveled route in Etihad's network. Over 100,000 passengers flew between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi during the first three months of 2026, a 30% increase compared to the same period last year. Roughly 70% of passengers used Abu Dhabi as a stopover for flights heading further east to Asia.

This expansion stands in contrast to the extended suspensions announced by other carriers and directly increases available seats on the route from the UAE to Israel.

Airlines Resuming Service to Israel

Lufthansa Group announced it would resume flights to Israel starting in June. Wizz Air resumed service on May 28. Both announcements followed an update from the European Aviation Safety Agency, which eased recommendations regarding flights to Israel after the ceasefire between the US and Iran held.

These returns add capacity from European carriers at a time when several US airlines continue to adjust their schedules for Tel Aviv routes.

Airlines Maintaining Suspensions or Delays

Delta Air Lines will not resume the New York-Tel Aviv route before September 6. The Atlanta route is suspended until December 18, and the launch of the new Boston-Tel Aviv route has been postponed with no new date set. American Airlines extended the cancellation of flights to Tel Aviv and Doha until January 2027. United Airlines currently plans to resume flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai on September 7, though the date may change.

British Airways' extension through October 2026 places it among the carriers with longer-term pauses on Tel Aviv operations, while Etihad moves in the opposite direction with added frequencies.

Security Context and Regulatory Updates

The European Aviation Safety Agency eased recommendations regarding flights to Israel after the ceasefire between the US and Iran held. British Airways cited regional security uncertainty and difficulty reaching a stable arrangement with Iran as factors in its decision to maintain suspensions through October 25, 2026.

These developments frame the differing timelines chosen by carriers operating into Ben-Gurion Airport, with some European operators acting on the eased guidance while others, including several US airlines and British Airways, maintain extended pauses.

Connectivity at Ben Gurion Airport

The combination of Etihad's increase to 42 weekly flights, the Lufthansa Group resumption in June, and Wizz Air's return on May 28 adds direct and connecting options at Ben-Gurion Airport. At the same time, the extended suspensions by British Airways through October 2026, along with the adjusted schedules from Delta, American Airlines, and the tentative United resumption, shape the overall pattern of international links.

Passenger traffic already recorded on the Tel Aviv-Abu Dhabi route during the first three months of 2026, including the high share of stopover travelers heading to Asia, illustrates one active corridor amid these varying airline decisions.

By Hannah Berg, Staff Writer