Israeli El Al cancels flights to Moscow until March 2025

Israel's flagship carrier, El Al, has announced the extension of its flight suspension between Tel Aviv and Moscow until the end of March 2025.

The decision follows the airline's temporary halt of services last week in response to developments in Russia's airspace after a tragic plane crash in Kazakhstan, Caliber.Az reports citing Israeli media.

The crash, involving an Azerbaijan Airlines flight from Baku to Grozny, occurred on December 25. The aircraft, which was forced to make an emergency landing in Kazakhstan, was reportedly downed by Russian air defences after being mistakenly identified as a hostile aircraft. The incident led to the deaths of 38 people on board.

El Al suspended its Tel Aviv-Moscow flights following the crash and has now opted to extend the suspension through the remainder of the winter flight schedule. The airline explained the decision as a result of ongoing consultations with relevant authorities to fully assess the situation and ensure passenger safety.

In a statement, El Al confirmed, “After conducting a comprehensive situation assessment, El Al suspends all of its operations on the Tel Aviv-Moscow route until the end of the winter schedule. The decision comes after ongoing dialogue with the authorities in the country to understand the situation.”

El Al also clarified that it would reevaluate the situation at the end of March 2025, and any passengers affected by the flight cancellations would be offered alternative options.

In other airline news, El Al recently launched a special fare campaign for Israeli army reservists. Within hours, 25,000 tickets were sold as part of the initiative, which has become increasingly popular among reservists. Additional tickets are expected to be made available in the coming days.

By Vafa Guliyeva