Status: 12.10.2023, 18:45 PM
By: Clara Kistner
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What options do Germans have who are currently waiting in vain at the airport in Israel for their return flight, or who would like to travel home earlier due to current events?
According to the German Press Agency (dpa), an upcoming trip to Israel that has already been booked can be cancelled at any tour operator without further costs and cancellation fees. While very few people are currently thinking about a spontaneous short holiday in the current crisis area, some holidaymakers are already sitting at the airport in Israel waiting for their return flight.
Flying home despite rocket attacks on Israel?
"Travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories is currently strongly discouraged," the Foreign Office warns on its website. The fact that some holidaymakers want to end their trip to Israel prematurely at the moment is probably quite understandable given the current crisis situation on the ground. But this is proving to be more difficult than expected, as numerous airlines, such as American Airlines, Air France, Lufthansa, Emirates and Ryanair, are currently cancelling their flights to Tel Aviv, reports the AFP news agency.
In light of the recent rocket attacks on Israel by the Islamist Hamas, numerous airlines canceled all flights from Israel. (Symbolic image) © Pond5 Images/Imago
However, according to the Tagesschau, Germans will have the opportunity to leave Israel on October 12 and 13 with the help of specially organized special flights. However, in order to be able to register for such a special flight, holidaymakers need German citizenship. In addition, they had to have prematurely registered on the "Elefand" precautionary list for crisis information.
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According to the Federal Foreign Office, however, the regular entry requirements to Germany also apply to foreign family members for the special flights. Accordingly, all persons concerned must be in possession of valid travel documents and, if applicable, visas or residence permits.
Departure from Israel: Lufthansa special flights and corresponding alternatives
If the specified criteria were met, it was possible to register for a special flight on Wednesday via a Lufthansa hotline, writes the Tagesschau. According to some complaints on social media and an additional report by the Süddeutsche Zeitung, there were apparently several problems with the registration via phone call, which, according to the SZ, the airline is already working on.
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Since the special flights do not offer capacity for all German citizens on the "Elefand" precautionary list, it can only be hoped that regular air traffic can be resumed in the near future. In addition, according to the Foreign Office, other, mostly lesser-known airlines are already flying again. It is also recommended to leave the country by land via Jordan or by ferry between Israeli and European Mediterranean ports.