EL AL announced that it will begin operating special flights for American citizens whose return flights from Israel to the United States were canceled due to the ongoing war with Iran.

Thousands of American citizens are currently stranded in Israel after widespread flight disruptions and cancellations caused by the conflict.

According to the airline, the flights are being arranged in coordination with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. Beginning March 16, EL AL plans to operate six non-stop flights from Tel Aviv to New York that will be designated exclusively for American citizens.

Officials expect the flights to depart at full capacity, pending final government approvals.

Starting Sunday morning, EL AL will begin proactively contacting American citizens who hold valid EL AL tickets whose flights were canceled and who have not yet been reassigned to other flights. Those passengers will be offered seats on the special flights at no additional cost.

At this stage, priority placement is being given to passengers who were originally holding EL AL tickets whose flights were canceled.

Passengers are also being asked to complete a registration form on the airline’s website in order to be considered for placement on the dedicated flights.

PLEASE NOTE:

* Registration does not guarantee placement.
* Flight schedules and eligibility criteria may change based on security and airspace developments.
* Those with existing EL AL bookings will be prioritized initially.

The airline said it is prepared to expand the number of special flights for American citizens if necessary, noting that the initial six flights will only partially address the high demand among those seeking to return to the United States.

Any expansion of the program, EL AL said, will depend on additional approvals from government authorities.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)