By David Shepardson
(Reuters) -Delta Air Lines said late on Wednesday it will restart flights to Israel beginning June 7, emerging as the second prominent U.S. carrier to do so following the Oct. 7 assault by Hamas militants on southern Israel.
Delta mentioned it will commence daily flights between New York-JFK and Tel Aviv on an Airbus A330-900neo after a comprehensive security risk assessment by the airline. United Airlines resumed flights to Israel earlier this month from Newark but does not intend to revive flights from other U.S. cities until at least this autumn.
Delta stated it will provide approximately 2,000 seats weekly from New York to Israel and “continues to closely monitor the situation in Israel in conjunction with government and private-sector partners.”
United, American Airlines, and Delta all halted U.S. service to Israel in October in the aftermath of the Hamas attack.
The reinstatement of U.S. carrier flights to Tel Aviv indicates a potential turning point for travel to Israel, after tourism dwindled due to security concerns following the Hamas rampage and subsequent Israeli bombardment of Gaza.
Prior to Oct. 7, United operated four direct flights daily to Tel Aviv from Newark, San Francisco, Washington, and Chicago. The airline noted that the flights where service has not yet resumed “will be assessed for restart starting in the fall.”
Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, Aegean, and Air France are among other airlines that have recommenced flights to Tel Aviv.
American Airlines has ceased flights through Oct. 28. Last October, more than 30 U.S. lawmakers urged the airlines to resume flights to Israel “as soon as possible.”
