Air India has extended its Delhi-Tel Aviv flight suspension until September 30, citing ongoing security risks and airspace challenges across West Asia.
The route had been suspended only through the end of July, with resumption expected around now, but the airline has now pushed the timeline back by a further two months.
The suspension has been extended multiple times, having previously been deferred to the end of May and then to the end of July.
More than 40,000 Indian nationals in Israel remain affected by the continued suspension, according to figures cited in reports.
With no direct flights available, passengers travelling between India and Israel must route through hubs such as Dubai or Abu Dhabi, adding four to eight hours to journey times.
Air India said it would reassess the airspace security situation closer to the new target date before resuming ticket sales.
The airline continues to offer full refunds to passengers whose bookings have been affected by the extended suspension.
The extension follows continued coordination between international aviation bodies and India’s Ministry of External Affairs regarding the regional security situation.
El Al, Israel’s national carrier, has operated full schedules since Ben Gurion Airport fully reopened in April following a ceasefire, while Air India continues to keep its Delhi-Tel Aviv route suspended.
A number of major international airlines have similarly kept their Tel Aviv routes suspended or reduced in recent months, reflecting broader industry caution around the region’s airspace despite the ceasefire.
Passengers travelling between India and Israel currently have to route through third-country hubs such as Dubai or Abu Dhabi, adding several hours to journey times compared with the previous direct service.
Air India had originally suspended its Delhi-Tel Aviv route in response to escalating regional tensions, and has pushed back the resumption date multiple times since as the security situation in West Asia has failed to stabilise.
(Image: Photo by Eluveitie (Beata May), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)
