Ryanair ‘Running out of Patience’ with Israel over Security Concerns

Ryanair canceled its flights to Israel. (Photo: Adrian Pingstone, via Wikimedia Commons)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Ryanair, along with other airlines, have previously suspended flights to and from Israel due to security concerns.

The CEO of Irish airline Ryanair has reportedly said that his company is losing “patience” with security disruptions at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport and may consider “sending aircraft somewhere else in Europe.”

“I think we’re running out of patience too with Israel… flights to and from Tel Aviv,” Michael O’Leary stated, according to a Reuters report cited by Israel media.

He added, “If they’re going to keep being disrupted by these security disruptions, frankly, we’d be better off sending those aircraft somewhere else in Europe.”

Europe’s largest airline by passenger numbers, Ryanair suspended its flights to Israel following the resistance operation of October 7, 2023. It then resumed flights in February 2024, only to suspend all flights to and from Israel in March and April.

Yemen’s Attacks

Earlier this year, the airline resumed flights to Israel but suspended them again this month following a missile attack on the airport from Yemen. The airline said it has “regrettably been forced to cancel flights to/from Tel Aviv” from Sunday, May 4 to June 4.

The Ben Gurion airport has been a target of attacks from the Yemeni Armed Forces, affiliated with the Ansarallah movement, as a direct response to Israel’s ongoing genocidal assault on Gaza that has killed over 50,000 Palestinians since October 2023.

On Sunday, the armed forces launched another high-level military operation targeting the Ben-Gurion Airport.

The missile strike followed an earlier aerial operation on Saturday morning, during which the unmanned aerial unit of the Yemeni Armed Forces targeted the same airport using a Yafa-type drone.

‘Strategic Responses’

Brigadier General Yahya Saree reiterated that the Yemeni Armed Forces will continue their military operations as long as the Israeli aggression on Gaza persists and the siege on the Palestinian population remains in place.

Yemeni Ansarallah Hits Ben-Gurion again, Warns of Wider Operations

He warned that regional silence and international inaction in the face of Israel’s crimes only serve to embolden the occupying state and increase the suffering of vulnerable populations.

“Our armed operations are not symbolic,” Saree stated.

“They are strategic responses aimed at stopping the genocide and supporting the Resistance. The longer the siege and war continue, the more comprehensive and effective our operations will become.”

Air Blockade

Earlier this month, YAF announced that it would “work to impose a comprehensive air blockade on the Israeli enemy by repeatedly targeting airports, most notably Lod Airport, known in Israel as Ben Gurion Airport.”

Ansarallah Declares Aerial Blockade on Israel after Targeting Ben Gurion Airport

Saree called on all international airlines to consider its announcement and “cancel all flights to the airports of the criminal enemy to preserve the safety of their aircraft and customers.”

Airlines that have canceled flights to Israel in the past 18 months include United Airlines, Delta Airlines, Air India and the Spanish airline Vueling. Some have since reintroduced flights or plan to resume flights.

Global Travel ‘Severely Impacted’

According to the Travel and Tour World website, the “sudden cancellation of flights to Israel by multiple major airlines from early May 2024 onwards severely impacted the global travel sector.”

“This suspension of air services had profound implications, particularly in terms of consumer confidence, ticket sales, and the logistical management of international travel routes,” the website, in a report dated May 12, noted.

It said flights scheduled from Ben Gurion Airport to major international cities, including Abu Dhabi, Budapest, Rome, Brussels, London Luton, Madrid, Berlin, and Athens “have either been canceled or remain uncertain, causing widespread disruption for thousands of travelers.”

The report further emphasizied that the cancellations, primarily affecting prominent airlines such as Wizzair, Ryanair, El Al Israel Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Air India, LOT Polish Airlines, Iberia Express, and Georgian Airways, “have left passengers scrambling to rearrange their travel plans amid heightened security concerns and operational challenges.”

“Travel agencies globally reported increased customer inquiries, rebooking requests, and refund claims, significantly straining customer service operations. Furthermore, tourism-dependent businesses anticipated revenue losses, especially those located near Tel Aviv, a significant hub for international travel,” it stated.

(The Palestine Chronicle)

1 Comment

  1. Why are Ryanair flying there ? If they’re that desperate, they may as well declare bankruptcy. You might have a date with an incoming houthi missile soon and it’ll be just the opposite of tears being shed.

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