Several airlines suspend Tel Aviv flights until safety conditions improve
World
On Sunday, three US airlines said they had suspended direct flights, as did Air France
(Reuters) - Several international air carriers have suspended flight services with Tel Aviv in light of the Hamas militant attack on Israel, saying they were waiting for safety conditions to improve before resuming.
Fighters from the Islamist group killed 700 Israelis and abducted dozens in Saturday's attacks, which were the deadliest such incursion since the Yom Kippur war 50 years ago, prompting Israel to retaliate by pounding the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.
On Sunday, US air carriers United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines said they had suspended direct flights, as did Air France.
The US airlines normally run direct services from major cities such as New York, Chicago, Washington, DC and Miami.
In a statement, United said it had run two scheduled flights to the United States from Israel late on Saturday and early on Sunday but had suspended services "until conditions allow them to resume".
Delta representatives said flights "have been canceled into this week" while they monitor the situation to make necessary schedule changes.
Hainan Airlines, the only Chinese airline to fly between China and Israel, cancelled flights between Tel Aviv and Shanghai on Monday, citing the security situation in Israel.
It also operates flights between Beijing and Tel Aviv as well as the southern tech hub of Shenzhen and Tel Aviv. The airline said it would adjust future flight plans depending on the situation.
Cathay Pacific, which said it also cancelled its flight between Hong Kong and Tel Aviv on Tuesday, is to provide further updates about the next flight on Thursday.
Korean Air said it cancelled its Monday flight between the port city of Incheon and Tel Aviv and expects future flights to be irregular.
