•Air travellers, who were stranded in Dubai, are greeted upon arrival at Vassil Levski International Airport in Sofia, Bulgaria, today
Thousands of flights have been delayed or cancelled in the biggest disruption to global air transport since the Covid pandemic as airlines suspend services due to the Middle East war.
The first two flights bringing home Israelis stranded abroad by the Middle East war landed in Tel Aviv tod, after the airspace was closed as the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, reports AFP.
The repatriation flights landed at Ben Gurion Airport, which for now remains closed for commercial traffic.
A first flight operated by the Israeli national carrier El Al arrived from Athens, and a second operated by Israir arrived from Rome, the transport ministry announced.
Each carried 170 passengers.
Transport Minister Miri Regev had said earlier in the week that Israel’s airspace would “gradually” reopen overnight between yesterday and today.
It nevertheless remains closed to commercial traffic.
Israel shut its airspace to civilian flights on Saturday after announcing the launch of a campaign of strikes against Iran together with the United States.
“We are doing everything possible to bring every Israeli home safely,” Regev was quoted as saying in a statement.
