EL AL said Thursday that it would be unable to operate its planned nonstop route to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, which was scheduled to begin in October. The decision came after Israeli security authorities, acting under directives from the Shin Bet security agency, said the necessary approvals could not be granted for the route to be operated with Israeli aircraft and crews.
Arkia, by contrast, is continuing to operate flights to the Far East using leased aircraft.
Arkia continues flying
Industry sources said the cancellation of the Hanoi flights was not the result of a security incident in Vietnam or any change in travel recommendations for the destination. Rather, the issue concerns approval of the security procedures required to operate an aircraft with an Israeli crew at Hanoi airport.
Arkia can continue operating the Tel Aviv-Hanoi route using foreign aircraft and crews under leasing arrangements, which are subject to different security procedures. According to the sources, such an arrangement is not an option for EL AL, in part because of the airline's security policy.
Before announcing the launch of the route, EL AL proceeded through the usual process and received preliminary approvals from the relevant authorities, including security officials. After the airline completed its operational and commercial preparations and invested substantial resources, however, security officials informed it that the flights could not be approved. Without the security clearances needed to operate the route as planned, the airline said it had no choice but to cancel its launch.
EL AL is offering passengers who have already purchased tickets several alternatives:
- A flight to Hanoi via Bangkok, followed by a connecting flight operated by a foreign airline, at no additional cost.
- A change to another destination in EL AL's network on the same dates, at no additional cost.
- A full refund or a credit voucher for future use.
"The flights will be canceled gradually, according to their scheduled departure dates, and customers will receive individual notifications beginning next week," the airline said.
