Dubai-based airline Emirates will reduce the number of flights to and from Tel Aviv by two-thirds due to security concerns, the company said on Wednesday. Picture: REUTERS/Eric Gaillard
Dubai-based airline Emirates will reduce the number of flights to and from Tel Aviv by two-thirds due to security concerns, the company said on Wednesday.
"Due to operational reasons, we are reducing operations to/from Tel Aviv to one daily flight, EK933/934, from October 13 until October 31, 2023," Emirates said in a statement.
The company said it was closely monitoring the situation in Israel and was "in close contact with the relevant authorities regarding developments."
"The situation is dynamic, and we are carefully reviewing all factors on an ongoing basis," the company added.
Meanwhile, UK airline British Airways announced the cancellation of all flights to and from Tel Aviv.
"Safety is always our highest priority and following the latest assessment of the situation we’re suspending our flights to and from Tel Aviv," the company’s statement read.
The company said it would offer full refunds to those whose flights were due.
Earlier in the day, Sky News reported that British Airways had diverted a flight from London to Tel Aviv back to the UK amid safety concerns.
On Saturday, the Palestinian movement Hamas launched a surprise large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip.
Israel formally entered a state of war with Hamas after the attacks.
Both Israel and Palestine have so far reported hundreds of dead and thousands of injured as a result of the escalation.