Airlines back to Israel?

(JNS) — The Knesset’s Economic Affairs Committee will convene on Monday to discuss a request made by airline companies to amend the Aviation Services Law so they can resume their flights to and from Israel.

In the wake of Israel’s more than year-long war on its southern and northern borders, a host of foreign airlines suspended flights to the Jewish state, sharply cutting options for travelers and leading to higher prices for seats on local carriers.

Airline companies complained that the law is causing them great losses, through no fault of their own, and are requesting to suspend it entirely and retroactively from the start of the war.

The legislation, also known as the “Tibi Law,” was passed by the Israeli parliament in 2012 and compels airlines to reimburse passengers for canceled or delayed flights, or to arrange alternative flights. It was modeled after a similar European Union law that was enacted in 2004.

According to Channel 12 News, the airlines are requesting to place price controls on substitute flight tickets, due to the current high cost of flights. Moreover, they want to shorten the notification period for flight cancellations without compensation or a requirement to find alternative flight tickets to three days instead of 14 days before departure.

Many international airlines are waiting to see if the “Tibi Law” will be amended, and will not otherwise resume flights as long as the war continues.

Irish airliner Ryanair recently reported that it paid some $3.8 million to passengers over the past year due to the Israeli requirement to compensate passengers with expensive alternative flight tickets.

At present, the only airline that offers flights to the U.S. is Israel’s flag carrier El Al.

Earlier this month, American Airlines has announced that it is suspending service to and from Tel Aviv through the end of next summer. The company’s daily non-stop service between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Ben-Gurion International Airport will not resume until September 2025 at the earliest.

Israeli low-cost airline Israir might launch its own flights to the U.S., if the Aviation Services Law is amended.

CEO Uri Sirkis said that a change in the law with regard to compensation would go a long way to ease financial burdens on the company and might enable it to operate direct flights to the U.S. this winter.