First departure flights leave Israel since the start of Iran war after gov't approves special operation

The Israeli government has allowed a gradual return of flights departing Israel this week for the first time since the start of Operation Roaring Lion on Feb. 28. 

The departing flights are being operated by Israeli airlines, such as El Al, Arkia, and Israir, which are currently operating return flights of Israelis as part of “Operation Safe Return - Lion’s Wings.”

As these airlines are currently flying planes into Israel, for Israelis stranded abroad at the outbreak of the war, the government moved to allow a limited number of passengers to also depart on the same planes. 

As part of this outline, the number of passengers on an outgoing flight will be limited to 70-100, depending on the size of the plane, with 15% of the seats allocated to humanitarian and security cases, foreign tourists, and diplomats staying in Israel. Flights are being operated to many cities in Europe, Asia, and the United States, with the number of departures directly tied to the number of rescue flights bringing stranded Israelis back home. 

Passengers are also required to complete an online check-in before arriving at the airport. However, passengers only need to arrive two hours before flights depart, instead of the traditional three hours, in an attempt to minimize the number of people in the airport in light of the continued threats from Iranian missiles and Hezbollah rockets. 

Additionally, Israeli passengers will be required to sign a commitment not to return to Israel for at least 30 days from the date of the flight, to prevent the need for additional “rescue” flights. 

Passengers wishing to depart the country should contact the Israeli airlines directly to check flight availability, register, and reserve tickets. 

For humanitarian, security, tourist or diplomatic cases, a request can be submitted to the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee for Exceptional Cases at this link. 

Transportation Minister Miri Regev said the government is working “to return aviation activity to normal as soon as possible.” 

“After we began the national operation to bring Israelis home, we continue to act in a gradual and responsible manner to also allow departure from the country. Every step is taken in full coordination with security officials and the Home Front Command, while strictly maintaining the safety of passengers and crews. Our goal is to return aviation activity to normal as soon as possible, while responsibly managing the airspace even during this challenging period," Regev said. 

In addition to the flights, it remains possible to exit Israel through land border crossings, which continue to operate as usual in accordance with the instructions of security authorities. 

The Israeli government is also continuing to work to bring Israelis out of the United Arab Emirates after repeated missile and drone attacks by Iran. The first such flight landed at Ben Gurion International Airport on Monday morning, bringing about 330 Israelis back home.