The European Commission and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) are recommending all airlines to avoid the Lebanese and Israeli airspace. Following the recent spike in military exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah, the EU is monitoring the situation.
The recent escalation of escalation in air strikes and rocket fire between Israel and Hezbollah has urged the EU and the EASA to formulate a new recommendation for all airlines, which should be applicable for the coming month.
“An overall intensification of air strikes and degradation in the security situation has been noted, impacting the safety of airspace over Israel and Lebanon”, the EASA wrote in a press release. “In that context, the European Commission and EASA have decided to issue CZIBs recommending not to operate within the airspaces of Lebanon and Israel at all flight levels. The recommendation is valid until October 31, 2024, and can be reviewed earlier and adapted or withdrawn subject to the revised assessment.”
In consultation with the @EU_Commission, EASA has issued Conflict Zone information Bulletins recommending not to operate flights within the airspaces of Israel and Lebanon at all flight levels. EASA will continue to monitor the situation closely. https://t.co/BubLXX3dth
— EASA (@EASA) September 28, 2024
If, however, the situation should change earlier or would remain the same after 31 October, new guidelines will follow. “EASA will continue to closely monitor the situation, with a view to assess whether there is an increase or decrease of risks for EU aircraft operators as a result of the evolution of the threat”, the agency said.
Even though EASA guidelines mark a new, official guideline for airlines, many of them have already been adapting flight schedules over the last few weeks. While the Israel Airports Authority attempted to reassure airlines that Tel Aviv Ben-Gurion Airport is operating normally for both takeoffs and landings, airlines, including British Airways, the Lufthansa Group and Qatar Airways, have been suspending flights not only to Israel, but also Lebanon and Jordan.
Lebanon, in its turn, has issued a so-called NOTAM, which requires foreign air carriers to reapply for permission to serve Beirut in the future. “Based on the decision of the Lebanese Minister of Public Works and Transport, and with respect to the current situation in Lebanon, where Middle East Airlines, the national Lebanese air carrier, is now the only carrier operating to and from Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport. And since all foreign airlines have suspended their flights to Beirut, we hereby inform all foreign airlines that in order to resume their flights, they must apply officially to DGCA”, the notice reads.
The conflict reached a new high on Tuesday, 24 September, when an Israeli strike of the southern outskirts of Beirut is said to have killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Since 23 September, Israeli airstrikes in Beirut have killed over 560 people, according to AP. Multiple EU states, including Spain, Portugal and Italy, have also been warning their citizens to immediately leave Lebanese territory if they are still in the country.
