A significant hurdle to the return of foreign airlines to Israel was lifted on Wednesday after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency removed Israel from its highest-risk aviation warning list, easing restrictions that had effectively kept many carriers away from Ben Gurion Airport since the war began.
EASA announced that the strict Conflict Zone Information Bulletin, known as a CZIB, covering Israel expired Wednesday and would not be extended. In its place, the agency issued a regional Information Note classifying the risk level as medium and grouping Israeli airspace together with countries including Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. At the same time, EASA left in place severe warnings for the airspaces of Iran, Lebanon and Iraq.
The move is considered highly significant for airlines because a high-risk CZIB can effectively block flights due to insurance limitations and strict security procedures. Under the new guidance, airlines are now advised to factor the potential risk into their own flight routing and operational decisions, rather than being subject to a sweeping European warning against service to Israel.
In practical terms, the decision opens the door for European airlines to resume service to Ben Gurion Airport if they choose to do so. The carriers most directly affected are airlines that have not yet returned to Israel since the start of the war, including Ryanair, easyJet and KLM. Their absence, along with that of Air India, Air Canada, Delta and American Airlines, has significantly reduced the number of flights to and from Israel, especially on routes to Europe and North America.
Now that the official EU barrier has been removed, the remaining question is which European airlines will use the change in status to restore service to Israel — and when.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
