The Hungarian airline “Wizz Air” decided to extend the suspension of its flights to and from Israel until next March, in the latest expectation that the crisis in the Middle East will continue with the continuation of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, which has entered its fourth month, and has led to the death of about 23,000 Palestinians and the injury of more. Of the other 58 thousand, most of them children and women, in addition to great destruction.
The low-cost airline canceled all flights to and from Tel Aviv for another 3 months due to the lack of demand for travel to Israel and the threats surrounding aviation as a result of the ongoing war in Gaza, indicating that it will continue to monitor the situation on a regular basis.
The Hungarian company stopped most of its flights to and from Israel in the first days of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation, with the exception of operating a small number of irregular flights.
The official broadcasting authority stated that the airline’s decision meant canceling thousands of tickets for Israelis, adding that “under normal circumstances, the company was operating more than 100 flights a week to and from Israel.”
The company is considered a low-cost means of air transportation compared to other airlines, and it is the most prominent carrier for European passengers to and from Israel. Last October, it announced the suspension of its flights to and from Israel until the end of 2023 due to security tensions.
On December 18, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority said that Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv had received a strong economic blow as a result of the war on the Gaza Strip, by announcing the removal of 600 employees on unpaid leave and reducing the wages of a thousand others.
It quoted the Israeli Airports Authority as saying: “Despite the sharp decline in air traffic to and from Israel as a result of the war, the Airports Authority has so far refrained from taking a section of workers on unpaid leave.”
The Israeli Airports Authority said that it is working to return international airlines to Israel as soon as possible, noting that “the German company Lufthansa, which also includes the Swiss and Austrian companies, has already announced the operation of its flights from Israel on January 8.”
The majority of international companies have suspended their flights to and from the airport since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza last October.