KLM Follows Suit And Cancels Tel Aviv Service Until October

Summary

  • KLM Royal Dutch Airlines extends Tel-Aviv flight cancellations due to ongoing tensions, joined by other major carriers like Lufthansa.
  • Israeli officials criticize airlines for halting Tel Aviv flights, asserting the country’s airspace security in the region.
  • Aegean Airlines also suspends Tel Aviv services in response to escalating tensions, advising passengers to seek alternative options.

Dutch flag carrier KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V.) has extended its cancellation of services to Tel Aviv through late October due to continued tensions in the region. The Dutch arm of

Air France-KLM

is just one of many carriers, including Aegean,

Delta Air Lines

,

United Airlines

, and

Lufthansa

, which have opted to reduce or suspend services to Israel.

In a report by the Times of Israel, Senior Israeli officials have slammed the carriers’ decisions, arguing that the skies in Israel are secure and that the country would close airspace on its own initiative if the situation ‘truly calls for it’.

Schiphol, The Netherlands - May 26 2022: A Boeing 737-900 airplane from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines taxiing to the gate after it had landed at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. A cloudy sky in the background.
Photo: minhanphotos | Shutterstock

While Lufthansa and

ITA Airways

have initially suspended services until August 6, it is yet to be seen if they will extend the suspension as long as the Dutch carrier.

KLM Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner PH-BHP (2)

One daily rotation

In usual circumstances,

KLM

operates a once-daily connection between its home at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) in the Netherlands and Tel Aviv Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV), utilizing one of its

Boeing 737-900

aircraft. According to the airline’s website, it follows the schedule below (as searched for a Friday in November).

  • KL2472 departs Amsterdam at 09:15 daily and arrives in Tel Aviv at 14:40 the same day. The flight block time is four hours and 25 minutes.
  • KL0462 departs Tel Aviv at 05:15 and arrives in Amsterdam at 09:20 the same day. The flight block time is five hours and five minutes.

KLM’s substantial flight operations are based from its hub at one of Europe’s busiest airports, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The carrier has over 110 aircraft (excluding subsidiaries). It serves over 145 international destinations and employs over 35,000 staff. It is the oldest airline operating in the world and still uses the same name.

KLM aircraft parked at the gates at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport AMS shutterstock_2022682349

Photo: Tupungato | Shutterstock

Aegean Airlines pauses Tel Aviv operations

As noted earlier in this article, Greek carrier

Aegean Airlines

has also suspended its flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut due to escalating tensions. Passengers have been advised that if their itinerary is affected, they should contact the airline or log into their booking on the carrier’s website to look at alternative options.

According to data retrieved from Flightradar24, Aegean operates up to three flights a day between Athens International Airport – Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH), and the Israeli capital:

Athens to Tel Aviv:

  • A3 926, departing Athens at 08:10, arriving in Tel Aviv at 10:10
  • A3 924, departing Athens at 10:55, arriving in Tel Aviv at 12:55
  • A3 928, departing Athens at 23:55, arriving in Tel Aviv at 02:00
Aegean Tile

Tel Aviv to Athens:

  • A3 929, departing Tel Aviv at 05:00, arriving in Athens at 07:10
  • A3 925, departing Tel Aviv at 13:55, arriving in Athens at 16:10
  • A3 927 fluctuates with a departure time between 16:30 and 19:00 from Tel Aviv and an arrival into Athens between 18:45 and 21:10, depending on the day of the week.

All Aegean services to Tel Aviv are usually operated by one of the carriers, the

Airbus A320 Aircraft

aircraft.

Related

Aegean & Condor Join Airlines Cancelling Flights To Beirut Amid Escalating Tensions

A handful of other airlines, including Air France and Lufthansa, have already suspended flights.

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