As the conflict between Israel and Hamas intensifies, airlines halt their operations in the Israeli city, of Tel Aviv. In fact, British Airways flight BA165, made a U-turn before landing in Tel Aviv, on Wednesday, 11 October, in light of the ongoing clash.
British Airways Make a U-Turn – Cancels All Flights to Israel
British Airways Flight BA165 Made a U-Turn Before Landing in Tel Aviv
The Israel-Hamas conflict is intensifying as the days progress. A conflict that fired up after the surprise attack of Hamas on Israel last weekend on Saturday, 7th October, is showing no signs of calming down. Ever since the attack, Israel has been bombing civilian settlements in Gaza under the guise of extricating Hamas. The conflict which many now believe was a joint scheme of Hamas and Israel to displace and massacre thousands of Palestinians, has claimed the lives of more than 2,600 innocent Palestinian men, women, and children, as many continue to die as the hours tick by.
Amid such chaos, many airlines have decided to cease operations in Israel, which include the British Airways. On Wednesday, 11 October, a British Airways flight was on its way from London to Tel Aviv. However, the flight never landed on Israeli soil. The British Airways flight BA165 made a U-turn before landing in Tel Aviv. Afterward, the airline canceled all flights to Tel Aviv, citing safety concerns. The flight BA165, was about to approach Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion International Airport when the captain was asked to turn around and return to the UK.
British Airlines stated that:
“Safety is always our highest priority and following the latest assessment of the situation, we’re suspending our flights to and from Tel Aviv.
“We’re contacting customers booked to travel to or from Tel Aviv to apologize for the inconvenience and offer options including a full refund and rebooking with another airline or with British Airways at a later date.
“We continue to monitor the situation in the region closely.”
Evacuation of UK Citizens After British Airways Flight BA165 Made a U-Turn Before Landing in Tel Aviv
No estimate has been provided by the government of the UK on how many UK citizens are stuck in Israel. No evacuation operation is underway, and with the suspension of flights, no one knows for how long all the stuck citizens will have to stay in the zone of conflict. However, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office or FCDO has advised UK citizens to register their presence and share updates. The government has also advised against all travel to Israel, Gaza, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and other parts of the region, unless absolutely essential.
Moreover, for those traveling to the zone of conflict against the advice of FDCO, their travel insurance will be invalidated. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly addressed the situation and stated:
“The situation here is a bit different because a lot of the Brits are dual nationals and regard Israel as their home.
“We will work closely with the Israeli government to provide support if needed,” he said. “We are working with the aviation industry and on border crossings. We are also in talks with Egypt on any Britons in Gaza.”
British Airways Flight BA165 Made a U-Turn Before Landing in Tel Aviv – Concluding Statement
In light of the current circumstances in Israel, many airlines, including the UAE giant, Emirates have decided to discontinue operations to and from Israel. When the British Airways flight BA165 made a U-turn before landing in Tel Aviv, other airlines realized the intensity of the situation, via this decision of the British Airways. Fearing for the security of their crew and passengers the airlines took a wise, unanimous decision to halt flights in the zone of conflict until the matter resolves.
On the other hand, the conflict shows no signs of coming to an end, even though Hamas has been quiet for some time since its attack, Israel continues to not only bomb settlements but has also cut off electricity and water supply to Gaza, leaving Palestinians surrounded by rubble and darkness. Recently the Israeli airstrikes massacred several Palestinians who were on their way to seek shelter elsewhere, as Israel notified them of bombing their accommodations.
Emirates Cancels Tel Aviv Flights as Israel-Hamas Conflict Intensifies
Read about Emirates’ decision to cancel its flights to Tel-Aviv in light of the Israel-Hamas conflict in our article .
