El Al Cancels Flights, Limits Passengers Amid Israel-Iran Tensions

0:00On April 5, L.O., Israel's main airline has canceled all regular flights through April 18, because of new restrictions from the Reston, Transportation Ministry. This comes amid the ongoing tensions with Iran, leaving Ben-Gurian airport in Tel Aviv with just a handful of emergency flights running. They're keeping a limited schedule to key spots like New York's John F. Kennedy, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Bangkok, London, Paris, Rome, and Athens. Flights heading into Israel from those places have no passenger caps right now, but outbound ones are capped at 100 passengers each to manage. Security risks. Passengers are feeling the squeeze hard, with thousands stuck or scrambling for options. Priority goes to folks with the earliest tickets and urgent medical cases, while everyone else waits. Local bookings qualify for full refunds or credit vouchers, offering summer leave in the chaos. The ministry bumped the limit up from 80 passengers per flight, and now allows two departures

1:00per hour instead of one. This is a step up from the stricter 50 passenger rule during Passover, hinting at a gradual easing as the situation stabilizes. For now, L.O.'s emergency ops keep vital links open, but travelers should check updates closely before planning any moves out of Israel. Informed with U.S. News Today, AI-powered updates.