United Airlines to resume flights to Israel next month

NEW YORK (AFP): United Airlines announced Wednesday it will resume flights to Israel next month, becoming the first US carrier to bring back flights since last fall’s suspensions with the outbreak of war in Gaza.

United plans initial flights to Tel Aviv from its New York-area hub in Newark, New Jersey on March 2 and 4, with a goal of having daily non-stop service restored from March 6.

“United conducted a detailed safety analysis in making this decision, including close work with security experts and government officials in the United States and Israel,” the US carrier said in a news release.

“United will continue to monitor the situation in Tel Aviv and adjust the schedule as warranted,” the company said.

The company hopes to bring back a second flight from Newark as soon as May, United said, adding that it would evaluate bringing back flights from San Francisco, Washington and Chicago as early as the fall.

United and US rivals Delta Air Lines and American Airlines suspended service to Israel after the October 7 attack by Hamas, which has been followed by an ongoing siege of the Gaza Strip by Israel.

A Delta spokesperson referred AFP to the company’s January 19 statement canceling flights to Tel Aviv through April 30 that said the company is “continuously monitoring the security situation” in the region.

American Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Other companies that have resumed service to Israel include British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France and RyanAir.