Irish low-cost air giant Ryanair announced on Wednesday that it is extending its suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv until August.
The airline did not provide a reason, saying only that it had been “forced to cancel flights” for reasons “beyond our control.”
Europe’s largest budget carrier, along with most foreign airlines, suspended flights to Israel earlier this month following the May 4 Houthi missile attack on Ben-Gurion International Airport.
Israel’s Channel 12 News reported Wednesday that some 200,000 Ryanair tickets have been cancelled as a result of the latest flight cancellations.
While some international airlines including Delta Air Lines, Air Europa and Air France have resumed service to Israel since the attack, others, such as Lufthansa and British Airlines, have pushed back restart dates.
Earlier this month, Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O’Leary said his airline was “losing patience” with security disruptions at Israel’s main international airport and might consider diverting aircraft to service alternative destinations.
“I think we’re running out of patience too with Israel ... flights to and from Tel Aviv,” O’Leary told analysts following the release of full-year results.
“If they’re going to keep being disrupted by these security disruptions, frankly, we’d be better off sending those aircraft somewhere else in Europe,” he said.
