People gather in support of the recent attacks on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas at Fatih Mosque on October 07, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a missile attack on Israel today.
The Hamas attack in Israel forced many major airlines to cancel their flights going to the Middle Eastern country.
Among the flight companies that suspended their trips to Israel are American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines.
They confirmed the flight cancellations after the Federal Aviation Industry updated its Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) statement on Sunday, Oct. 8.
Hamas Attack Update: AA, Other Major Airlines Cancel Flights to Israel
According to CBS News' latest report, the FAA's updated NOTAM urged U.S. airlines and their pilots to be extra cautious when flying at any altitude in Israeli airspace.
The FAA issued this after the deadly surprise attack in Israel on Saturday, Oct. 7. Experts said that the new FAA NOTAM mirrors a similar alert issued by the Israeli government.
After the Hamas attack killed hundreds of Israeli residents and injured thousands of them, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the country was already at war.
Meanwhile, the Israeli government retaliated with airstrikes on Gaza, killing more than 300 Palestinians.
"Due to the ongoing conflict situation in the region, between Israel and Gaza-based extremist militants, operators are advised to review current security, threat information and NOTAMS," said the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority.
Since the Israel-Palestine war is worsening, many major U.S. airlines already canceled their flights going to the Middle Eastern country.
Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and United Airlines all confirmed that their trips have been temporarily suspend to and from the international airport near Tel Aviv.
"Future operations at TLV will be suspended until conditions allow them to resume," said United Airlines.
American Airlines also issued a statement, saying that they will continue monitoring the current situation in Israel. AA added that the safety and security of their passengers will be their top priorities.
Other Airlines Cancel Flights As Well
An American Airlines plane prepares to land at the Miami International Airport on May 02, 2023 in Miami, Florida. American Airlines pilots voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if the union’s negotiations with American Airlines’ management, which are currently ongoing, are unable to come to a satisfactory outcome.
Aside from the three major U.S. Airlines, the Lufthansa Group, a global aviation organization, announced that all its flights to and from Israel have been canceled.
These include trips via Swiss International Air Lines and Austrian Airlines. The Lufthansa Group said they will monitor Israel's security situation, as reported by CNBC.
The aviation group promised that they are in close contact with Israeli authorities to ensure the safety of their passengers, as well as crew members.
While international airlines are suspending their flights, the major Israeli airline, El Al, said it will continue its operations as scheduled.
But, the flight company said their passengers can get travel waivers to delay or cancel their flights.
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