First repatriation flights land in Israel, outbound travel to start Sunday
The Times of Israel • • world
Key Points:
- Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport reopened for limited civilian flights on Thursday after five days of closure due to war, beginning repatriation efforts for tens of thousands of Israelis stranded abroad.
- The first repatriation flights landed from Athens and Rome, with additional flights expected from multiple European cities and plans to increase flight volume on Friday, including arrivals from North America.
- Security concerns remain high amid ongoing Iranian missile attacks, leading to strict protocols for passengers to quickly exit the airport and limited flight operations based on security assessments.
- Outbound flights from Israel are scheduled to gradually resume on Sunday, with restrictions including one flight per hour, limited passenger numbers, and no checked luggage allowed.
- National carrier El Al and Israir have paused ticket sales temporarily to
