EasyJet has suspended all flights to Tel Aviv over safety concerns for journeys to Israel – days after Iran’s attack caused chaos for airlines.

Flight data showed dozens of journeys that would have travelled over the Middle East turned back on Saturday after Iran fired more than 300 drones and missiles into Israel.

Now easyJet has said that its flights to Israel are suspended for the remainder of the summer “as a result of the continued evolving situation” in the region.

The budget airline told Sky News it has grounded its flights until 27 October at the earliest and said: “Customers booked to fly on this route up this date are being offered options including a full refund.”

In the UK, easyJet ran flights to Israel from Gatwick, Luton and Manchester airports. The airline also told Sky News it has no plans to suspend flights to other countries.

Meanwhile, Wizz Air told Sky News that while it cancelled flights to Tel Aviv on Sunday and Monday, they have resumed them as of Tuesday.

And a spokesman for British Airways – which operates four daily return flights per week between Heathrow and Tel Aviv – said: “Our flights are continuing to operate as planned and we continue to monitor the situation.”

Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts

Wizz Air added that passengers may experience schedule changes because of the disruption and said: “The airline is closely monitoring the situation with the relevant authorities and keeping its passengers informed of all schedule changes.”

Iran’s attack on Saturday was in response to a strike on an Iranian consular building in Syria earlier this month which killed two Iranian generals. That strike has been widely blamed on Israel.

The EU’s Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) insisted “there was no overflight risk for civil aviation at any time” on Saturday.

However it also said “there continues to be an increased potential for miscalculation and/or misidentification at present” for flights over Iranian airspace.

Read more:
World leaders call for Israeli restraint
What are Iran’s military capabilities?
UK’s worst airport for delays revealed

‘The skies were closed’

Speaking to Sky News’ Kay Burley, travel journalist Simon Calder said while the EASA said there was no risk on Saturday, “effectively the skies above Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Israel all closed”.

He said: “Quite a lot of (the flights) just gave up and went home. So, for example British Airways was flying out to Oman, they got as far as Switzerland turned around and went back and that was repeated an awful lot.

“Lots of diversions of course, because airlines were taking on what they thought was enough fuel. Suddenly the skies are closed. You’re going to have to fly an extra 500 miles. And therefore, they were having to refuel everywhere.

“We still haven’t recovered from that. And on top of the problems we’re seeing elsewhere, I’m afraid it’s a very, very messy picture.”

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has not yet issued any new travel guidance for countries in the Middle East, or for journeys that go over them.

Sky News has asked British Airways if they also plan to suspend flights to Tel Aviv and other locations, and has contacted the FCDO for comment.

Related posts:

Largest outbreak of ‘sea snot’ on record hits Turkish coast Seven miners trapped following collapse and flooding at Mexico coal pit ‘We won’t give in’: Anti-Taliban militia says it will fight ‘to the death’ in Afghanistan British man handcuffed and held hostage for eight days freed by Italian police Nancy Pelosi’s husband pleads not guilty to drink driving charge in California North Korea warns of ‘fiercer military responses’ after firing ballistic missile ‘Netanyahu go to jail’: Protesters jeer Israel PM as he arrives at Downing Street Women who suffer from mental illnesses have ‘twice the risk’ of developing cervical cancer How the far-right has grown into the greatest extremist threat to Germany’s democracy Is Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ‘doomed’? France deploying 7,000 soldiers following deadly school stabbing as Louvre evacuated after threat Six skiers go missing near Matterhorn