Some Airlines Returning to Israel, Many Still Staying Away

When the war started on October 7, almost all foreign airlines ended flights to and from Israel. Now that's starting to change, with Lufthansa and its affiliated companies announcing a partial return to the country starting January.

According to Calcalist, Lufthansa and its affiliated airlines are returning to service Israel. This may be the start of the end of foreign companies' avoidance of the country due to the war, forcing Israel to be almost exclusively reliant on Israeli companies like El Al and Arkia for its travel needs.

In an announcement made this weekend, Lufthansa announced that it would go back to flying to and from Israel starting the week of January 8, with offered flights to Munich and Frankfurt. Its affiliate airlines Austrian Airlines and Swiss International Air Lines will also offer flights. The company announced that it will be providing about 30% of flights compared to the beginning of the war.

Most airlines such as EasyJet, Ryanair, and others continue to stay away, however, and it is unclear if and when they will return and under what conditions.