FLIGHTS TO ISRAEL RESUME FROM TODAY - Filenews 24/4 by Angelos Angelodimou
Airlines are gradually resuming flights to the Middle East and in particular to Israeli airports. Despite the uncertainty that still hangs over the region and amid crucial negotiations to open the Strait of Hormuz, airlines have made decisions to resume flights in the region.
Cyprus Airways every day
Cyprus Airways announced yesterday the resumption of its flights between Larnaca and Tel Aviv, restoring, as it states, an important connection between Cyprus and Israel. According to the announcement, the flights will be operated daily, offering passengers comfortable and frequent travel options. "The decision to resume scheduled flights was made after a careful assessment of the current situation in the region," the statement noted.
Cyprus Airways, the announcement added, continues to closely monitor developments and remains in regular coordination with the competent authorities to ensure smooth and reliable operations. According to the itineraries presented on the website of Hermes Airports, the management company of Cypriot airports, today, Friday, there is a Cyprus Airways flight, both to and from Tel Aviv. It is noted that yesterday a flight from Tel Aviv to Larnaca and from Tus Air was expected to arrive.
Aegean is also restarting
Aegean made a similar announcement yesterday about the resumption of flights to airports in the Middle East and in particular to Tel Aviv. Specifically, as stated in a relevant announcement, Aegean is proceeding with the resumption of some flights that had been cancelled due to developments in the Middle East. The decision, it is added, was taken after a careful assessment of the current situation. In particular, flights from Athens to Tel Aviv restart on April 28, flights from Heraklion to Tel Aviv restart on April 30, flights from Larnaca to Tel Aviv restart on May 21, from Rhodes to Tel Aviv on May 21, from Athens to Riyadh on May 21 and from Athens to Amman on May 21.
In addition to the above companies, flights to Tel Aviv and Haifa are operated from Larnaca Airport by the airlines Israir, airHaifa, Arkia Israeli Airlines, and Sundor (El Al).
TUI's profits are falling
The uncertainty caused by the war in Iran affects both the financial results and the decisions on the routes that will be operated next summer by the major airlines. Among other things, Europe's largest travel agent, TUI, downgraded its operating profit forecast, while it suspended its revenue forecasts, citing the uncertainty caused by the war in Iran, causing its shares to fall by 2.6% on Wednesday. TUI said in a statement that the airline sector, as well as the hotel sector, have been affected by the partial shift in customer demand from Eastern Mediterranean destinations to Western Mediterranean destinations, with a decrease in demand especially for Turkey, Cyprus and Egypt. The company's shares have fallen by 25% in the last 3 months.
Lufthansa cancels 20,000 flights
Deutsche Lufthansa has decided to eliminate 20.000 unprofitable short-haul flights from its European summer program to save money on jet fuel, the prices of which have doubled since the start of the war in Iran. It was preceded by an announcement by the carrier in mid-April of the closure of the Cityline regional unit and the grounding of 27 older heavy-duty aircraft. The 20.000 cancellations, which include flights previously operated by CityLine, will affect hubs in Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels and Rome. Other airlines have announced similar measures. SAS Scandinavian Airlines has cancelled about a thousand flights due to high fuel costs, while Air France-KLM has introduced a €100 surcharge on long-haul tickets.
