Lufthansa Group will not allow crews to stay overnight in Israel until November 30 — Jerusalem Post

Lufthansa Group will not allow crews to stay overnight in Israel between flights to and from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv until November 30. According to the Jerusalem Post, citing N12, the decision is linked to the threat of a possible war with Iran.

Schedule changes

Lufthansa Group includes Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and ITA Airways. The group said the new rules will require schedule adjustments and may lead to the cancellation of certain flights.

According to N12, morning Lufthansa and SWISS flights from Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich will include a one-hour stop for a crew change in Athens or Larnaca. This is intended to eliminate the need for crews to stay overnight in Tel Aviv.

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Flights and crew rest

The source notes that European Union Aviation Safety Agency rules require at least 10 hours of crew rest away from the home base. The outlet suggests that crew changes in Athens or Larnaca could help comply with these requirements or arrange rest outside Israel.

Other non-cancelled flights, apart from the mentioned LH691, LH683 and LX257, will continue to operate directly to Ben Gurion, although departure times may change. Passengers affected by the changes are to be informed, and booking systems are to be updated.

Lufthansa Group has repeatedly cancelled and resumed flights to Israel following the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. In August, the group also announced an expansion of operations at Ben Gurion Airport.