As Israel remains under heightened security conditions, the national airline El Al is stepping in to bring stranded citizens home. Starting overnight from June 19 to 20, El Al will operate emergency evacuation flights from the United States and Asia to Israel.
According to the airline, two repatriation flights will depart from New York to Tel Aviv, and one flight will leave Bangkok for Tel Aviv. In total, El Al is planning 14 evacuation flights on Friday, June 20 — most of them departing from European cities. Passengers eligible for these flights have already been contacted directly by airline staff.
Looking ahead, El Al is preparing for more evacuation operations next week, pending further approval from the Israeli government. Priority will be given to airports with strong international connectivity and those located near large groups of Israeli citizens awaiting repatriation.
The preliminary list of cities includes:
- Europe: London, Paris, Larnaca, Athens, Rome
- North America: New York, Los Angeles
- Asia: Bangkok
In response to the crisis, El Al has also extended flexible booking policies. Passengers holding tickets with departure dates through July 15 — for both El Al and its charter subsidiary Sundor — are now eligible to cancel their bookings without penalty. Full refunds will be issued in the form of vouchers, which can be used for future travel.
The move follows Israel’s unprecedented decision to suspend all civilian air traffic on June 13 after launching a large-scale military operation against Iran. The official objective of the operation is to dismantle Iran’s nuclear capabilities, which Israel considers an existential threat.
Due to the risk of missile strikes on critical infrastructure, the Israeli government imposed a full airspace closure for commercial flights. On June 18, however, authorities eased restrictions slightly to allow the return of Israeli nationals on designated evacuation flights.
As the situation continues to unfold, El Al remains one of the few lifelines for Israelis abroad, coordinating closely with government officials to ensure safe passage home.
