With Airspace Closed, Stranded Chassanim Seek Alternate Routes

The closure of the skies has left many, including chassanim waiting for their weddings, stuck abroad with no clear return date. A massive rescue effort is underway, with ships sailing from Cyprus and airline fleets waiting at airports around the world.

By Anash.org reporter

Since early Friday morning, all civilian flights in and out of Israel have been canceled as part of emergency wartime precautions. With airspace shut and no clear date for reopening, tens of thousands of Israelis remain stranded abroad, and a major rescue effort is now being prepared. Among them are many chassanim who came to 770 for their ufruf and cannot return home in time for the chassuna.

Ben Gurion Airport is officially closed “until further notice.” Authorities are emphasizing that the reopening will not happen overnight. “It will be slow, in stages, and it may even stop again depending on developments,” said Shmuel Zakai, head of the Civil Aviation Authority. “We won’t restart airport operations at a full pace. It’s a shame to create illusions.”

What isn’t well known is that all four of Israel’s major airlines – El Al, Arkia, Israir, and Air Haifa – quietly moved their entire fleets out of the country before the operation began, as part of a pre-coordinated plan with the Civil Aviation Authority and security officials. The planes were stationed at international airports near major Israeli travel hubs, ready to bring people home as soon as conditions allow.

A rescue operation, led by the Ministry of Transportation and security agencies, includes both air and sea. On Motzaei Shabbos, a ship carrying 1,800 Israelis arrived in Ashdod from Larnaca, Cyprus. More ships and flights are expected to follow as the situation allows.

El Al announced on Sunday that all its flights are canceled through June 17, and some routes through June 23. The airline said, “When approval is received from the relevant security and aviation authorities, we will do everything in our power to enable as many Israelis as possible to return home by gradually resuming a regular flight schedule and operating rescue flights from destinations close to Israel.”

While Israeli authorities have cautioned against traveling independently to hubs like Larnaca or Athens, citing limited flight availability and safety concerns, preparations are clearly underway to use several key cities as departure points. Aircraft are already positioned in places such as London, Paris, Frankfurt, New York, Bangkok, Athens, and Larnaca, where flights may eventually operate. Those in outlying or less central areas have begun making their way to these hubs in anticipation, though passengers are warned to be patient and ready for long waits.

With this being the height of the wedding season, chassanim who were abroad before their chasuna, or traveling with family, may now have to delay their simchos by a week or two as they wait for the skies to reopen or try to secure a spot on the limited emergency evacuation flights. Some estimate that partial flight service could resume by June 27, but nothing is guaranteed as the war is ongoing.