EASA Advises All Airlines To Avoid Israeli and Lebanese Airspace

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has advised all European commercial airlines to avoid the airspace over Israel and Lebanon.

The airlines have responded by grounding dozens of flights, leaving thousands of travelers stranded abroad and thousands unable to leave Israel. The advisories are expected to remain in effect until at least the end of October.

The advisories about both countries were similarly worded, and said, "Considering the current conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, there is a high risk to civil aviation. The conflict involves rockets, missiles and drones launches from Lebanon with Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire, including systematic activation of air-defense systems."

The bulletin continues, “Hezbollah's possession of all-altitude capable cruise and ballistic missiles, along with the deployment of air assets operating at various altitudes, increases the risk of misidentification and miscalculation. Additionally, cruise missiles and military-grade weaponized drones launched by Hezbollah allies create additional concerns for the safety of airspace in the region."

The agency urges that all air operators cease flying in those airspaces at all flight levels and continue to monitor developments in the region. In response, Israel’s flagship airline, El Al, said it would add flights from Athens and Cyprus back to Israel. However, passengers report long waiting lists and exorbitant prices for the one-way flights. The EASO warning is also expected to affect flights during the imminent Jewish holiday season, a time when peak travel up to 75,000 passengers transit Ben-Gurion Airport every day.

FMI:  www.easa.europa.eu/en