Flight from London to Tel Aviv canceled over summer months to avoid flight check-in before the conclusion of Shabbat.
By Ben Rappaport, United with Israel
Israeli airline El Al is making a move to strengthen its Shabbat observance policy by canceling during the summer months its longstanding Saturday-night flight from London to Tel Aviv, Israel’s Channel 12 reported.
While the airline takes care not to operate flights on the Jewish Sabbath, the check-in procedure during the summer months for the post-Shabbat flight from London to Tel Aviv has until now started before the conclusion of Shabbat, so that the flight can depart on time.
Now, according to the report, the airline is strengthening its policy with instructions that the check-in procedure may not begin before the conclusion of Shabbat, either.
As a result, the airline has canceled the flight for the upcoming summer months. Passengers who had already bought tickets for those flights will be refunded or offered a Friday flight instead.
El Al confirmed the details, telling Channel 12, “due to the change in Shabbat conclusion times in London, we have been forced to implement adjustments in the flight schedule.”
“We apologize for the inconvenience that has been caused due to this change.”