Air France makes return to Tel Aviv while other European airlines stay away

On May 27, 2025, Air France will officially reinstate nonstop services connecting Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) with Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) in Tel Aviv, Israel. The resumption of the carrier’s direct flights to Israel stands in stark contrast to other European carriers such as British Airways and Lufthansa, which have withdrawn from the country in recent weeks following ongoing unrest and the war with Hamas, which has been drawing huge criticism from the international community.

While other airlines have decided to cease operating to Tel Aviv, citing safety concerns for passengers and crew, Air France will be re-introducing its daily flight from Paris to Tel Aviv using 328-seat Boeing 777-200ERs. Following ongoing dialogue with aviation authorities in Israel and continuous situation monitoring, Air France has decided that it is safe enough to resume regular service on this route.

In early May 2025, Air France paused its Paris to Tel Aviv service due to missile strikes in proximity to Ben Gurion Airport. These security incidents sparked immediate alarm among the international airlines serving the airport, prompting several international carriers to temporarily suspend or scale back flights as a precautionary measure.

GCMap.comAir France’s return after a short, four-week hiatus of services comes after a comprehensive reassessment of the security landscape and adherence to updated aviation safety protocols, according to Travel and Tour World, and is aimed at reassuring travelers of the airline’s approach to passenger safety.  

Israel will be keen to welcome Air France back to its main airport, as the country is keen to attract international carriers back to resume services, which itself signals renewed assurance in the safety and stability of flights to Israel while improving much-needed connectivity with other countries worldwide.

The revival of Air France’s Tel Aviv-Paris flights is being seen as an essential step for travelers seeking connections between Israel, Europe, and beyond. Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, as one of Europe’s busiest airline hubs, provides connections to more than 300 destinations worldwide, covering most major cities across Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa.

With this corridor reopened, business and leisure travelers regain a vital link to be able to fly to and from Israel; a link that has been fragile at best in recent months, with some airlines halting services temporarily, often at short notice, while others, such as Virgin Atlantic have pulled out of Israel altogether.

Air France’s return to Tel Aviv is a sign that the airline industry is at least open to cautiously reestablishing flight operations to the region. However, while numerous carriers from Europe, North America, and the Middle East have resumed or expanded services to Israel, others are continuing to stay away.

Eliyahu Yosef Parypa / ShutterstockOther airlines are not returning yet

British Airways, for example, recently extended its suspension of flights to Israel until the end of July 2025. This continuation of the halting of flights is affecting the busy Tel Aviv to London corridor, with other airlines that are continuing to serve the Israeli capital, aiming to pick up the slack in the meantime, including Air France. However, with the absence of British Airways on the Tel Aviv-London route, air fares have been rising for both business and leisure travelers.  

While British Airways had considered alternative operating models such as crew stopovers in third-party airports to mitigate security concerns, it was reported that logistical complexity and financial impracticalities meant that the airline’s management simply decided to fully suspend services.

Lufthansa Group Meanwhile, the Lufthansa Group, which includes Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, and Eurowings, has postponed plans to restart flights to Tel Aviv until mid-June 2025. At the time the decision was announced, the Group said that the unified decision taken on behalf of all Group members “underscored the priority placed on passenger and crew safety amid persistent regional uncertainties. The group continues to offer flexibility to passengers for cancellations and rescheduling without penalties.”

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