Virgin Atlantic had initially planned to resume operations in October 2025 but has now confirmed the route will be permanently canceled.
British airline Virgin Atlantic will not resume direct flights to Israel following the suspension of its London Heathrow – Tel Aviv route after October 7, 2023, Israeli media reported on Monday.
“After careful consideration, we have taken the difficult decision to cancel our services between London Heathrow and Tel Aviv,” Virgin reportedly stated in a travel update cited by the Times of Israel.
Virgin Atlantic, a British airline, announced that it will permanently suspend all flight operations to Israel, closing the London-Tel Aviv route.
Also,Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, and Turkish Airlines revealed that they will relinquish their time slots at Ben Gurion Airport and… pic.twitter.com/4IKh0CswrO
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) April 28, 2025
The airline said it would “continue to serve Tel Aviv as the only UK airline to have a partnership with EL AL, Israel’s national carrier, on services between Tel Aviv Ben Gurion and London Heathrow.”
Virgin Atlantic had initially planned to resume operations in October 2025, according to Ynet News, but “has now confirmed the route will be permanently canceled after what it described as a ‘thorough review’ of the situation.”
Several Airlines’ Suspension
The report said Virgin Atlantic was “the only British airline” to maintain a “codeshare partnership” with EL AL.
The airline’s first flight landed in Israel in September 2019, the Jerusalem Post reported.
Gaza: Israel’s ‘Zone of Interest’ and the Global Silence on War Crimes
According to Israel Hayom, the airline joins Turkish Airlines and Pegasus Airlines, which have announced that they would not resume flights to Israel.
Since Israel’s genocidal attack on Gaza began, several airlines suspended their services to Tel Aviv, including United Airlines, Delta Airlines, Air France and Lufthansa.
Some airlines have since resumed their flights to the country.
Ongoing Genocide
Since Israel’s reneging on the ceasefire on March 18, it has killed and wounded thousands of Palestinians throughout the Gaza Strip through a bloody and ongoing aerial bombardment.
On October 7, 2023, following a Palestinian Resistance operation in southern Israel, the Israeli military launched a genocidal war against the Palestinians, killing over 51,000, wounding more than 116,000, with over 14,000 still missing.
LIVE BLOG: Day 570
Israeli forces escalate attacks across Gaza, killing scores. A US airstrike kills dozens of migrants in Yemen.
Meanwhile, the ICJ opens hearings on Israel’s obligations under international law.
Follow updates in real time. 👇🔗 https://t.co/wKBhnAl4yj pic.twitter.com/M5LVNGSwzn
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) April 28, 2025
Despite habitual condemnation by many countries around the world of the Israeli genocide, little has been done to hold Israel accountable.
Israel is currently under investigation for the crime of genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals — including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — are now officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.
The Israeli genocide has been largely defended, supported, and financed by Washington and a few other Western powers.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
Be the first to comment