Airline exodus in Israel hits business travel, transport of cargo

Israel's war against Hamas has sparked boycotts against its authors, cut cooperation with its scientists and raised possible arrest warrants against its officials.

But nothing has made Israelis feel more isolated than the massive drop-off in flights to and from the country.

Direct routes to dozens of major cities - Washington, San Francisco, Toronto, Hong Kong and New Delhi - have been suspended, reducing face-to-face business meetings and cargo reliant on passenger flights.

Of the 20 airlines that dominated the market before the war, Israeli companies are nearly the only ones remaining. The number of planes and passengers into Ben Gurion Airport fell by 40 per cent in the first nine months of 2024, according to the airport authority.

The biggest impact is from the loss of North American airlines - Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines and Air Canada.

Although Ben Gurion has not had a missile land on it, the companies say they fear for the safety of their passengers as rockets are fired from various directions, and crews are unwilling to spend the night in Tel Aviv.

With the war in its 14th month and no end in sight, Israel's high-tech leaders, faced with declining investors and business activity, are seeking solutions.

One, scheduled to begin in January, is called Airtech, and aims to establish charter flights three times a week to and from the US.