Swiss airline resumes flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut

SWISS airline announced the reinstatement of its regular flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut, which were suspended in early October due to security concerns sparked by the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Emphasizing its commitment to safety, the airline stated in a press release that it continues to monitor the situation in Israel closely, in coordination with local and international authorities. The airline did not rule out the possibility of future schedule adjustments should there be any change in circumstances.

"After a thorough examination of the situation, the company considers that sufficient safety guarantees have been met for the resumption of air service" to Tel Aviv and Beirut, says Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), a subsidiary of Lufhansa, which had also announced the resumption of this service in an earlier announcement.

Starting Jan. 8, 2024, SWISS will offer five weekly direct flights from Zurich to Tel Aviv on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays aboard A320neo aircraft. Reservations will open on Monday, Dec. 18.

Flights to Beirut will also recommence this Saturday, with SWISS scheduling two weekly flights to the Lebanese capital on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Aircraft from the Airbus A320 and A220 families will be deployed on this route. Initially, Beirut will be serviced until Jan. 13, 2024, with the route then being paused during the winter months until March 22, 2024.

The suspension of flights to Tel Aviv by the Swiss airline was in response to the security situation arising from Hamas' Oct. 7 attack. Despite the suspension, SWISS conducted multiple evacuation flights at the request of the federal Israeli government.