Lufthansa Group says crews will not spend overnights in Israel amid Iran threat - report
The group has canceled and resumed its flights to Israel several times since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, and announced in August that it would expand its operations to Ben-Gurion.
The Lufthansa Group has announced that its crews will no longer be permitted to spend overnight stays in Israel between flights to and from Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion Airport, effective November 30, according to N12 News. The parent company, which encompasses Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and ITA Airways, stated that revised regulations due to the threat of a potential war with Iran will necessitate schedule adjustments that could lead to some cancellations.
To comply with European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) requirements, which stipulate a crew rest period of at least 10 hours for every 13 hours of active flight duty, the carriers have introduced an hour-long crew change layover in Athens or Larnaca. This measure aims to ensure that the crew hours remain within limits while allowing rest outside of Israel. Airlines such as British Airways, which operates its London to Tel Aviv route with a 45-minute crew-change layover in Larnaca, serve as a comparable example.
Flights beyond the specified routes, including LH691, LH683, and LX257, will continue to operate directly to Ben-Gurion Airport, albeit with potential changes to flight times. Affected passengers will be informed, and reservation systems will be updated accordingly.
The Lufthansa Group has a history of suspending and resuming flights to Israel since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. In August, the group announced plans to expand its operations to Ben-Gurion Airport. However, it remains unclear how the new crew regulations will impact these expanded operations.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
