Lufthansa Group Resumes Night Flights to Israel

Lufthansa Group announced today the return of night flights (Night Stops) to and from Tel Aviv under a special operational format. The move is designed to increase the group's flight supply and connectivity from Israel while adhering to its strict safety protocols.

From now until February 28, Lufthansa night flights from Tel Aviv will make a short stopover in Athens for crew changes.

A similar format will also be implemented for SWISS night flights, which are expected to resume on February 16. Due to the technical stop, flight times on these routes will be slightly longer.

In contrast, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines will continue to operate direct flights without stopovers.

Background: The Crew Overnight Challenge

The return of night flights has been considered a significant logistical challenge for foreign airlines since the outbreak of the war. Due to the security situation, many European carriers suspended crew overnight stays (pilots and flight attendants) in Israeli hotels.

Until now, the group primarily operated day flights in a "Turnaround" format (immediate landing and takeoff), which limited the number of possible flights. The current solution—changing crews in Athens—allows aircraft to remain in Israel during night hours without requiring crews to stay in a high-risk area, thereby enabling the group to offer approximately 65 weekly flights from Ben Gurion Airport.

Group management stated that they continue to closely monitor the security situation and adjust operations accordingly, with the safety of passengers and crews remaining the top priority.