Three major airlines — Virgin Atlantic, Turkish Airlines, and Pegasus Airlines — have announced they will not resume flights to Israel, as the war in Gaza continues into its 18th month.
UK-based Virgin Atlantic said Monday it is permanently ending its London-Tel Aviv route, which had been suspended since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7, 2023. The airline had originally planned to restart flights in November 2025, but growing concerns about safety and instability led to the decision to shut down the route entirely.
In an even bigger hit to Israel’s aviation industry, Turkey’s two major airlines — national carrier Turkish Airlines and low-cost airline Pegasus — have given up their landing and takeoff slots at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport. This signals that they, too, do not plan to return to Israeli skies anytime soon.
Both Turkish carriers had halted flights shortly after Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and abducting over 250 hostages, triggering the current conflict in Gaza. Since then, direct flights between Israel and Turkey have remained canceled.
While many foreign airlines initially suspended their services to Israel following the October attack, some have recently begun to return. Carriers like British Airways, Ryanair, and U.S. airlines Delta and United have resumed limited flight operations, encouraged by talks of a ceasefire and a slight decrease in violence earlier this year.
Still, the decision by Virgin, Turkish Airlines, and Pegasus not to return highlights the ongoing uncertainty in the region and the growing challenges facing Israel’s travel and tourism industry.
