United Airlines announced on Wednesday that it will resume direct flights from the United States to Israel early next month, making it the first American airline to do so since Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israel on October 7, according to Reuters.
U.S flights to Israel were halted in October last year by United Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Airlines all of which opened new tabs.
Chicago-based United Airlines revealed that it will start operating again from Newark to Tel Aviv next month, but it won't start operating again from other American locations until at least this autumn.
Following the Hamas attack and Israel's bombing of Gaza, tourism to Israel had dried up due to security concerns. The resumption of U.S. carrier flights to Tel Aviv represents a potential turning point in this regard.
According to United Airlines, a Boeing 787-10 to depart from Newark, daily nonstop service to Tel Aviv is scheduled to begin on March 6.
The airline stated that flights from Newark to Tel Aviv to be available on March 2 and 4, with a stop in Munich, Germany. Return flights from Israel to Newark will be offered on March 3 and March 5.
The airline stated,"We conducted a detailed safety analysis in making this decision, including close work with security experts and government officials in the United States and Israel."
A request for comment was not immediately answered by the Israeli Embassy in Washington.
United Airlines stated,"We will continue to monitor the situation in Tel Aviv and adjust the schedule as warranted, including changes to start again service from New York and Newark announced today."
Prior to October 7, United Airlines operated four daily direct flights from Newark, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington to Tel Aviv. The airline stated that the flights for which service has not yet been restored will be evaluated for resumption beginning in the fall.
Other carriers that have resumed flights to Tel Aviv include Lufthansa air, Swiss, Austrian, Aegean, and Air France.
American Airlines has suspended flights by October 28, 2023, while Delta has canceled flights to Israel through April 30.
Last year in October some senior American politicians pressurized the airline to restart its flight operations as soon as possible.
