Latest news with #rescueFlights
Reuters
7 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
El Al says to start rescue flights out of Israel starting on Monday, after getting 25,000 applications
SAN FRANCISCO, June 22 (Reuters) - Israeli airline El Al said it would resume flights out of Tel Aviv airport on Monday, as the government began to allow limited "rescue" flights in the midst of the Middle East conflict and U.S. bombing of Iran. El Al said it had received 25,000 applications for flights out of Israel since it opened a web site for requests on Saturday, although government rules will limit flights to 50 passengers each, it added in a Sunday statement.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
UK to charter emergency flights to rescue Brits stranded in Israel as soon as airspace opens
British nationals left stranded in Israel have warned inaction could 'cost lives' as the UK Government said it would charter rescue flights only after Tel Aviv airspace reopens. Those trapped in Israel have accused ministers of 'making an active choice to leave Brits in harm's way' while the US charters 'rescue' cruise ships and European diplomats evacuate their citizens on buses at the Israeli border. Last night, Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced that the UK planned to provide 'charter flights for British nationals from Tel Aviv when airspace reopens.' But scores of Brits have accused the Government of 'neglecting' its citizens and said that repatriation flights when airspace reopens will already be 'too late'. Amongst those evacuating is Ethan, 20, a psychology student at Reichmann International University. He left Israel yesterday and is making his way back to Britain via Jordan and Saudi Arabia - a multi-day trek. He said: 'At the border all the other nationalities - French, Polish, Germans and so on -had a representative from the local embassy or diplomat helping them. 'But it seemed like we were the only ones who didn't have a representative from the embassy or from the Government helping us. 'We had to do the entire journey by ourselves and none of us speak Arabic or Hebrew so it was incredibly stressful. 'I feel disappointed and neglected because we had to literally fend for ourselves and thank God it all went smoothly because we didn't have anyone to help us if it hadn't.' Zak Wagman , a 26-year-old councillor, has been left stranded in Israel after travee;omg to Herzliya on the central coast of the country with his family for a wedding. He said: 'I would very happily cross the Israel-Jordan border if there were UK Border staff there to help. 'But my grandfather is in his late 80s and it is not feasible or safe for us to make this journey without support. 'When so many other countries are rescuing their citizens - it is clear they are making an active choice to leave Brits in harm's way. 'And I just pray to God that it doesn't end up costing people their lives. 'By only promising to offer charter flights for when regular commercial flights will have already resumed, Lammy is choosing to take the mickey out of stranded British nationals. 'It will be too little too late, there are many vulnerable Brits who need support now Airspace over Israel and Iran was closed after the Israeli air force launched a series of targeted strikes against military facilities in Iran and the Islamic regime retaliated with hundreds of ballistic missile attacks. Airspace over Israel and Iran was closed after the Israeli air force launched a series of targeted strikes against military facilities in Iran and the Islamic regime retaliated with hundreds of ballistic missile attacks. Families of diplomats have been evacuated but British nationals in Israel claim they have received little to no support. In one instance the FCDO accidently sent stranded Brits an email about an 'imaginary' charter flight before retracting the email and claiming it was sent in 'administrative error'. Dov Forman, 21, a student and descendant of Holocaust survivor Lily Ebert, said it took him 26 hours to travel home from Jerusalem after he made the decision to cross the border into Egypt without UK Government support, earlier this week. Describing the journey he said: 'When I was travelling through the Egyptian border the German and Hungarian embassies both had buses waiting for their citizens as they were coming through. 'Whereas hundreds of British citizens I was with are all making their own journey home, worrying about their own safety, and fronting the costs themselves - all while running away from a war zone.'
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
One-way flights to return stranded citizens back to Israel from across Europe
Israeli airlines have been given the go-ahead by the government to begin repatriation flights for citizens stranded abroad following the recent conflict with Iran. Tens of thousands of travellers have been affected by the closure of Israeli airspace since Friday, when Israel and Iran exchanged attacks, leading to widespread flight cancellations to Tel Aviv. El Al Airlines, Israel's flag carrier, has announced plans to operate flights from Larnaca, Athens, Rome, Milan, and Paris on Wednesday. These flights are intended to bring back passengers holding cancelled El Al tickets to Israel. The airline clarified that while inbound flights will resume, no passenger flights will be departing from Israel at this time. El Al has cancelled all scheduled flights through June 23. A spokesperson for the airline said: "We understand the difficulty, uncertainty and stress experienced by El Al customers abroad who are seeking to return to Israel, as well as those whose travel plans were disrupted. "The rescue flights will be operated gradually, and therefore patience is required from El Al customers abroad. We recommend preparing for extended stays and lodging arrangements." Smaller rival Arkia said it would bring back Israelis from Karpathos in Greece, Larnaca in Cyprus and Tivat in Montenegro. "Arkia is prepared to operate during any time window approved by the security authorities, including Fridays and Saturdays, and is working with authorities to explore expanding the rescue operation," it said. Israir said it would operate three flights for Israelis from Larnaca and Athens and from Varna in Bulgaria on Wednesday, and hoped to offer more soon. It has cancelled both foreign and domestic flights up to June 30. Israel's Transportation Ministry has said there are as many as 150,000 Israelis abroad, around 50,000 of them seeking to return to Israel. El Al said that within 90 minutes of opening a portal for passengers seeking to fly home, more than 60,000 people joined an electronic queue to register. Cruise operator Mano Maritime, whose "Crown Iris" ship carries 2,000 passengers, said it would make two crossings from Cyprus to Israel's Mediterranean port city of Haifa. Large numbers have converged on Cyprus, the European Union member state closest to Israel. Flights from the coastal city of Larnaca to Tel Aviv take 50 minutes, and boat crossings to the Haifa take about 15 hours. Foreign carriers have often cancelled flights during Israel's war against Hamas militants in Gaza, leaving El Al, Arkia and Israir to fill the gap for travellers.
Asharq Al-Awsat
5 days ago
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Airlines to Bring Stranded Israelis Back Home, No Outward Flights
Israel's airlines said on Tuesday that they had received government permission to start flights to bring back people who had been stranded abroad during the conflict with Iran. Israel's airspace has been closed since Israel and Iran began trading attacks on Friday, stranding tens of thousands whose flights to Tel Aviv were cancelled. El Al Airlines, Israel's flag carrier, said it expects to operate flights on Wednesday from Larnaca, Athens, Rome, Milan and Paris to bring anyone who had a cancelled El Al ticket to Israel. There would still be no passenger flights leaving Israel, it added. El Al has cancelled all scheduled flights through June 23. "We understand the difficulty, uncertainty and stress experienced by El Al customers abroad who are seeking to return to Israel, as well as those whose travel plans were disrupted," it said. "The rescue flights will be operated gradually, and therefore patience is required from El Al customers abroad. We recommend preparing for extended stays and lodging arrangements." Smaller rival Arkia said it would bring back Israelis from Karpathos in Greece, Larnaca in Cyprus and Tivat in Montenegro. "Arkia is prepared to operate during any time window approved by the security authorities, including Fridays and Saturdays, and is working with authorities to explore expanding the rescue operation," it said. Israir said it would operate three flights for Israelis from Larnaca and Athens and from Varna in Bulgaria on Wednesday, and hoped to offer more soon. It has cancelled both foreign and domestic flights up to June 30. Israel's Transportation Ministry has said there are as many as 150,000 Israelis abroad, around 50,000 of them seeking to return to Israel. El Al said that within 90 minutes of opening a portal for passengers seeking to fly home, more than 60,000 people joined an electronic queue to register. Cruise operator Mano Maritime, whose "Crown Iris" ship carries 2,000 passengers, said it would make two crossings from Cyprus to Israel's Mediterranean port city of Haifa. Large numbers have converged on Cyprus, the European Union member state closest to Israel. Flights from the coastal city of Larnaca to Tel Aviv take 50 minutes, and boat crossings to the Haifa take about 15 hours. Foreign carriers have often cancelled flights during Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza, leaving El Al, Arkia and Israir to fill the gap for travelers.
New York Times
7 days ago
- New York Times
Tens of Thousands of Stranded Israelis Face Weeks Away from Home
An Israeli stuck in Berlin who was running out of his daily medication. Two sisters in a Barcelona hotel searching for a family who might host them in the Spanish city. Families unexpectedly separated between Tel Aviv and London. Facebook groups for Israelis abroad have been abuzz with pleas for help as tens of thousands of travelers who left the country before it started its assault on Iran find themselves stranded overseas. Israel launched its attack in the early hours of Friday morning, and the element of surprise was a military imperative. As a result, Israel abruptly closed its airspace to civilian traffic. Officials said that they could not provide accurate figures for the number of Israelis abroad but estimated that it was 100,000 to 150,000, adding that it was not known how, or when, those travelers might return home. On Monday, the Israeli ministry of defense authorized some rescue flights to begin operating. But it may be three days before the flights start, according to a ministry spokeswoman. Despite Israel's long Mediterranean coastline and relative proximity to popular tourism destinations like Cyprus, there are no regular ferry services. The Israeli national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, said that the government was discussing maritime options but that nothing had been decided. Some stranded travelers were trying to get home via Israel's land borders with Jordan and Egypt. But the Israeli National Security Council has advised citizens to avoid those routes because of security risks associated with the latest tensions in the region. The council recommended that Israelis abroad wait for updates from the Ministry of Transportation. The ministry and the Israel Airports Authority said that they were working with airlines to bring citizens home but cautioned that it could take some time. The Foreign Ministry has asked Israelis abroad to register their details on a digital platform. The expectation was that it could take weeks to bring back all those wanting to return. Israeli airlines have moved their planes out of the country. Rachel Brettler and her partner headed for Ben Gurion Airport, near Tel Aviv, on Thursday, to fly out for a six-night vacation on the Greek island of Santorini. They had mused in the taxi about rumors that Israel might attack Iran, Ms. Brettler said, but thought little more of it. 'We couldn't believe the news when we woke the next morning,' Ms. Brettler said, speaking by phone from Santorini. The couple were planning on going to London, where they have family. Ms. Brettler said it was 'unsettling' to be away from their home in Herzliya, north of Tel Aviv, at a time like this. They were still receiving missile alerts from Israel on their cellphones. Travel in and out of Israel had already been severely curtailed after the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023, which ignited the war in Gaza. Many international airlines had suspended flights to and from the country. Amid the travel upheaval, some visitors have also found themselves stuck in Israel. Myra Noveck contributed reporting from Jerusalem.
