Ryanair scraps Tel Aviv return amid airport dispute, regional instability
The Irish low-cost carrier said Tuesday it would not restart winter flights to Israel, scrapping some 22 routes to and from Tel Aviv and around 1 million seats.
Irish airline Ryanair announced on Tuesday that it will not resume winter flights to Israel after the country’s main airport declined to confirm the carrier’s original takeoff and landing slots for next summer, citing continued regional instability.
Dozens of airlines have canceled flights to the Middle Eastern country since Oct. 7, 2023, when the Gaza-based Hamas militant group attacked Israel, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 251 others. Israel’s ensuing war in Gaza, which began that same day and continues to this day, has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians, according to the enclave’s Ministry of Health. Since the war began, Israel has also traded drone and missile attacks with Iranian proxies in Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq.
What happened: Ryanair halted flights to Israel in May 2025 after a Houthi missile from Yemen struck close to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport. The Irish low-cost carrier extended the suspension several times in the months that followed, as regional conflicts disrupted flights and closed Middle Eastern air space — including a 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June.
On Tuesday, Ryanair said it would not restart winter flights to Israel. The carrier noted that its planned 22 routes to and from Tel Aviv for the winter season would have offered about 1 million seats in total. In addition to the lack of slot guarantees, Ryanair said its decision was also influenced by the airport’s refusal to confirm whether Terminal 1 — which serves low-cost airlines — would remain open if further security issues arise.
