British Airways has suspended its flights to and from Tel Aviv after a flight from Heathrow was forced to divert back to Britain due to security concerns in Israel.
The airline said on its website, “safety is always our highest priority and following the latest assessment of the situation we’re suspending our flights to and from Tel Aviv”.
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It applies to flights up to and including those scheduled until October 14.
Flight BA165 was forced to return to Heathrow as air raid sirens went off in the city as the aircraft approached.
The captains were made aware of the situation and asked to turn the plane back.
A spokesperson for Israel’s airports authority said rockets were flying around Tel Aviv at the time but were not an immediate threat to the flight.
British Airways advised customers who were scheduled to travel with them they would directly contact those affected and provide options including a full refund or rebooking with another airline.
Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic will suspend all its flights to and from Tel Aviv for the next 72 hours to ensure safety of its passengers and crew.
Other airlines to have suspended flights include Emirates, Air France, Wizz Air, Ryanair, EasyJet and Lufthansa – making it more and more difficult for people attempting to flee Israel.