Air India cancels Tel Aviv flights till Oct 14

Air India has cancelled its flights to and from Tel Aviv till October 14, and around 14 airline staff have returned from the Israeli city. Israel came under attack by Hamas militants on Saturday and since then, both sides are engaged in fighting in which scores of people have died. An Air India official said that around 14 airline staff, mainly cabin and cockpit crew, have returned on an Ethiopian flight from Tel Aviv.

"Our flights to and from Tel Aviv will remain suspended till 14th October, 2023, for the safety of our passengers and crew," an airline spokesperson said in a statement. The airline will extend all possible support to passengers, who have confirmed bookings on any flight during this period, the spokesperson added. The official quoted earlier also said the airline is closely reviewing the situation and possibilities with respect to passengers.

The full-service carrier operates five weekly flights to Tel Aviv from the national capital. The service is on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday also, the carrier cancelled its flights to and from Tel Aviv. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday, expressed solidarity with Israel after Hamas militants launched an attack on the country. Modi condemned it as "terrorist attacks" in Israel as its leader Benjamin Netanyahu said the country is at war