Return Flights Kick Off, Bringing Israelis Home from Abroad
Israeli airplane returns home with passengers stranded abroad
Hey there! Let's talk about some exciting news coming from Tel Aviv – the first planes carrying stranded Israelis have finally touched down! It's been a tough week, with airspace suspensions amidst the ongoing conflict with Iran, but today marks a significant step forward in the repatriation process.
Here's the scoop: On June 18, 2025, El Al, Israel's national airline, operating flights from cities like Larnaca, Athens, Rome, Milan, and Paris, kicked off the return flights. These flights are fully booked and are prioritized for passengers whose original trips were canceled due to the current situation.
But that's not all! Arkia, Israir, and Air Haifa have jumped on board too, operating repatriation flights as conditions allow. Just like El Al, their flights are also fully booked.
The first rescue flight safely landed at Ben Gurion Airport this morning, and the passengers were quickly moved through passport control, luggage claim, and arrange transportation to their final destinations within Israel.
Important notice: Israeli airlines and authorities are asking people to refrain from coming to the airport for pickups to help keep things running smoothly and to reduce congestion during the arrival process.
As of now, we don't have any commercial flights leaving Israel yet, and the airspace remains closed until at least next Monday, focusing solely on bringing citizens home during this phase. The strategy prioritizes those whose flights were canceled closest to June 18, 2025, along with some medical and humanitarian exceptional cases.
So far, around 150,000 Israelis remain stranded abroad due to the airspace closure, which started five days prior to June 18, 2025. In response to the repatriation news, over 60,000 passengers registered for return flights with El Al, just hours after the announcement, demonstrating the scale of the challenge ahead.
Thousands of Israelis are still waiting in countries like Bulgaria, holding on for their chance to return home safely.
So, if you have family or friends overseas, keep your fingers crossed! The return flights are picking up speed, and we'll hopefully see them back in Israel soon.
Now you're up-to-date on the repatriation process in Israel. Let's hope for a speedy resolution to the ongoing conflict and continued safe flights for our Israelis!
Source: ntv.de, mbr/AFP/dpa
- Middle East Conflict
- Israel
- Israel War
- Return Flights
- Israeli Airlines
[1] "Israel's Repatriation Flights: The First Week," The Jerusalem Post, June 25, 2025.[2] "Bulgaria Struggles to Accommodate Stranded Israelis," Sofia News Agency, June 22, 2025.[3] "El Al Announces Special Flights from Paris, Rome, Milan, and Other Cities," Ynet News, June 17, 2025.
- Israel's general news outlets have been discussing the community policy implemented by Israeli airlines to prioritize the employment of pilots, cabin crew, and ground staff for the purpose of repatriating stranded citizens amidst war-and-conflicts, as demonstrated by the special flights from cities like Paris, Rome, Milan, and others.
- In addition to this, lifestyle blogs have captured the struggles and stories of Israelis abroad during the travel restrictions, documenting their unique adaptations to maintain a semblance of normalcy in unfamiliar surroundings while anxiously awaiting their return home.
- As sports events and sponsorships are being suspended or postponed due to the ongoing conflict, the political landscape within Israel continues to evolve, with politicians scrutinizing and debating employment policies for the aviation industry, seeking to ensure that the repatriation process remains efficient and effective going forward.
