Although the volume of flights from Israel to abroad at this time is relatively low, it is worth knowing which situations you should avoid if you plan to fly soon. Quite a few Israelis make small mistakes that can cost them time, money - and sometimes even miss a flight.
So what do we have here?
Connection
If you're flying from Israel – and especially to Israel – with connection flights, it's important to make sure you have enough time between flights. A small delay on the first flight may cause the connecting flight to be missed, and as we know, there are not many flights to Israel these days, so missing one flight to Israel may cause a long wait that can last up to a whole day until finding another flight to Israel.
A plane taking off from El Al, photo: Moshe Shai
Not a good idea to wait until the last minute
Despite the tendency to think that not many people fly during this period, there are quite a few destinations where flights are almost completely full. These include London, New York, Paris and other destinations. The main airline that operates flights to these destinations is El Al, but there are quite a few other destinations of other airlines to which flights are full. If you are planning to purchase a flight ticket, you can see from the trend in recent weeks that tickets to these destinations are more expensive the closer you get to the date, so you should check the flight prices a few weeks before the requested date, and if you find a ticket at a convenient price, it is not sure that you should wait until the last minute.
Duty-free area in Terminal 1, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Do not fly without protection Many airlines and tourism companies such as Israir, Arkia, El Al, Flying Carpet and other companies offer protection
services, sometimes for an additional few tens of dollars, and thus it is possible to cancel the vacation or flight package without the obligation to pay a fine. If you have doubts about the certain realization of the vacation you purchased, ask whether there is a possibility of protection against cancellation. Usually, prices for such services range from $30 to $50, and some companies also offer the service for free. It's important to check all fine print and full terms before purchasing.
Where are you flying from?
Until the beginning of the war, Ben Gurion Airport operated two terminals – Terminal 1 and Terminal 3, but for more than two months there has been only one operating terminal from which all flights depart from Israel – Terminal 3 – and airlines that used to operate flights only from Terminal 1 now operate only from there. It is important to remember this when you make your way to Ben Gurion Airport, and make sure that you have arrived at the right terminal.
Queues Despite the relatively low numbers in general and relative to the season, in recent weeks there has been a significant increase in passenger numbers
, and on some days it is even a doubling of the number of passengers passing through Ben Gurion Airport compared to a month and a half ago. True, most of the day Ben Gurion Airport is not crowded and even relatively empty, but there are certain situations in which queues are created that can last as long as an hour and a half and sometimes even more. If you're supposed to fly, it's best not to take the risk and take into account that there's a certain chance you'll have to queue up a bit.
Terminal 3. Not very busy, but you should prepare in advance (Archive), Photo: Yossi Zeliger
Flights that will not take place
Many airlines sell tickets for future dates, but there is a good chance that those flights will not take place. True, even the airlines themselves don't really always know for sure whether they will take off or not, and neither do you - so if you book a flight with a certain airline, try to minimize the uncertainty and try to understand how long all their flights were canceled, whether they fly to Israel during the war and whether they have issued announcements regarding the future of activity in Israel.
You deserve money back
If the airline canceled your flight – even if it's because of the war – you deserve your money back. The chances of receiving compensation beyond the refund are low, but there are quite a few Israelis who do not know their rights and do not even enjoy the official refund. If necessary, it is also recommended to consult with an aviation lawyer, who can help you recognize and claim your full rights.
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