After 15 months of conflict, the ceasefires on both fronts have led foreign airlines to begin resuming flights to Israel, bolstered by the IDF’s successful weakening of Israel’s adversaries and resolution of air travel threats. Just days after Lufthansa announced its intention to resume flights to Israel, today (Tuesday) Air France also confirmed that it will begin flights as early as the upcoming Saturday night.
Air France has announced that direct flights between Paris and Tel Aviv will resume on January 25th, with daily flights operated by the Airbus A350-900. The aircraft significantly upgrades travel experiences across all classes, featuring a dedicated premium economy class, flat-laying seats in business class, personal entertainment screens for all classes, and Wi-Fi service for all passengers. According to the airline, the cost for tickets to Paris on selected dates in March will start at $522.
The Effort to Bring Airlines Back to Israel
Israel is considered an “island” in terms of air travel, and not a popular stop-over destination. Hence, major global airlines found it relatively easy to avoid the risks associated with flying to Israel during wartime – both physical threats, and the potential for cancellations by passengers or Ben Gurion airport shutting down. El Al remained the sole airline operating consistently, causing significant hikes in tickets prices.
Since the ceasefires on both fronts went into effect, various parties in Israel – from travelers to the Israel Airport Authority – have been working to persuade foreign airlines to resume flights in order to lower flight costs and restore market competition.
Air France’s decision to resume flights to Israel reflects renewed trust in Israel’s security and marks a positive step toward revitalizing international air travel and economic growth.
