Lufthansa Group plans to resume flights to Israel on January 8. The Tel Aviv flight will be the first operated by the Lufthansa Group since October 9, two days after the Hamas attack on southern Israel that started the Israel-Hamas war.
Initially, the Lufthansa Group airlines will operate a total of 20 flights to and from Tel Aviv (approximately 30% of the normal flight schedule), split between Lufthansa, Austria and Switzerland.
Lufthansa will resume service to Israel with four weekly flights from Frankfurt and three weekly flights from Munich. Austrian Airlines will operate eight weekly flights from Vienna. Switzerland serves Tel Aviv five times a week from Zurich.
Reservations begin on December 18th.
“Safety has always been a top priority for Lufthansa Group airlines,” the Lufthansa Group said in an announcement on Friday. “The Lufthansa Group continues to closely monitor the security situation in Israel and is in close contact with local and international authorities. Adjustments to flight schedules are expected as the situation changes.”
Lufthansa Group did not disclose the level of demand for travel to Israel during the war. It said the Tel Aviv itinerary would provide convenient connections to North American flights.
U.S. airlines American, Delta, and United also suspended service to Tel Aviv when the war began. Currently serving five U.S. cities, El Al is the only airline that flies non-stop between Israel and the United States.
Last October, Democrats in Congress called on U.S. airlines to resume service to Israel.
