Air carriers, cruise lines and tour operators quickly brought travellers home and postponed future trips to Israel in the wake of the brutal surprise attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas and subsequent declaration of war by Israel.
The Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT) issued a statement Tuesday on the October 7th attacks, saying they are "deeply saddened by the events that took place at our southern border with Gaza."
As a result of the events, the government has declared a state of emergency. IMOT will provide updates on travel to and around Israel as new information is available.
"The safety and security of our visitors is our top priority, and we are working to ensure their well-being in every way possible," the statement reads. "IMOT, in collaboration with relevant authorities, is working to assist those who wish to depart from Israel. While US carriers have suspended flights to Israel, Ben Gurion International Airport remains open, and many flights are still departing Israel."
Yesterday, we reported that Air Canada has suspended flights from Toronto and Montreal “until the situation stabilizes.” In the U.S., American Airlines announced the cancellation of all flights to and from Tel Aviv through December 4 while Delta Air Lines has suspended all flights to and from Israel through the remainder of this month. United Airlines has discontinued service indefinitely.
Several European carriers, including Air France, Finnair and TAP Air Portugal, have also temporarily halted direct flights to and from Israel.
Sunrise over Haifa. (Photo Credit: Bruce Parkinson)
Israel had been enjoying a very strong cruise season, but most major cruise lines with scheduled port calls in Israel over the next month are forgoing stops in the ports of Haifa and Ashdod, replacing ports in Turkey and Greece. Some cruises embarking from Israel, including Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas, have been cancelled entirely through the end of October.
Tour operators are scrambling too. Collette has cancelled all departures to Israel through the remainder of the calendar year and was able to safely bring home 100 travellers over the weekend. The company made an early decision to shift groups in Israel north to Jordan, so they could fly out of Amman.
“We are deeply saddened by the events that transpired in Israel over the weekend, and we hope that the Israeli people will be able to quickly bring safety, security and stability back to the region,” said Jeff Roy, Executive Vice President at Collette.
Departures to Israel have been canceled by a number of tour operators through the end of the month, including Intrepid Travel. G Adventures has cancelled all Israel tours through November 5.
The Ministry of Tourism is operating a “virtual office” reachable via WhatsApp (+972 55 972 6931) or email ([email protected]).
Travellers currently in Israel can dial 104 for information or contact Home Front Command on WhatsApp or SMS on +972 52 910 4104.
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