Tag: Tel Aviv

Virgin Atlantic Suspends London Heathrow – Tel Aviv

Virgin Atlantic is to temporarily suspend its route from London Heathrow to Tel Aviv until 1 April 2020.

London Air Travel » Tel Aviv

Virgin Atlantic Logo
Virgin Atlantic Logo (Image Credit: Virgin Atlantic)

Virgin Atlantic is to temporarily suspend its route from London Heathrow to Tel Aviv.

This is due to entry requirements imposed by Israeli authorities on arriving passengers, which include flights from the UK.

The last outbound flight, under number VS453, will operate on Wednesday 10 March 2020.

The last inbound flight, under number VS454, will operate on Thursday 11 March 2020.

Flights are currently scheduled to resume from London Heathrow on Wednesday 1 April 2020. However, this may change.

Passengers whose flights are cancelled are entitled to a refund. Alternatively, passengers can rebook for travel up to Wednesday 30 September 2020.

Affected passengers can find contact details for Virgin Atlantic here.

At the time of publication, British Airways services from London Heathrow to Tel Aviv are still scheduled to operate. However, this may change imminently.

Update Wednesday 11 March 2020: BA has cancelled one of its daily flights Tel Aviv (BA163 / BA162). Flights BA165 & BA164 continue to operate.

Virgin Atlantic Launches London Heathrow – Tel Aviv

Virgin Atlantic is to launch a new route from London Heathrow to Tel Aviv from 25 September 2019.

London Air Travel » Tel Aviv

Virgin Atlantic aircraft at London Heathrow

Virgin Atlantic is to launch a new route from London Heathrow to Tel Aviv from Monday 25 September 2019.

Flights will operate daily and the route will be operated with an Airbus A330 aircraft.

It is relatively rare for Virgin to launch a route to a destination outside the US. Indeed, many non-US routes have been suspended in recent years in favour of increased flights to the US. Tel Aviv is also a destination already well served from London by BA, easyJet and El Al. However, this route is likely to have been chosen to pick up feeder traffic to Delta and Virgin flights to the US.

When Air France-KLM and Virgin combine their respective transatlantic joint-ventures with Delta, it will also benefit from joint-marketing by Air France and KLM.

Virgin Atlantic has not yet officially confirmed the schedule, but local media report an afternoon departure from London Heathrow and an early morning departure from Tel Aviv, subject to seasonal changes.

London Heathrow – Tel Aviv

At launch:

Flight VS453 Depart London Heathrow 13:30 – Arrive Tel Aviv 20:35
Flight VS454 Depart Tel Aviv 07:15 – Arrive London Heathrow 11:10

From Sunday 27 October 2019:

Flight VS453 Depart London Heathrow 16:00 – Arrive Tel Aviv 23:05
Flight VS454 Depart Tel Aviv 06:05 – Arrive London Heathrow 09:55

Flights go on sale at Virgin Atlantic from Monday 25 February 2019.

Middle East Conflict: Rebooking options for Tel Aviv flights

London Air Travel » Tel Aviv

Following recent events in the Middle East, both US and a large number of European airlines had suspended flights to Tel Aviv on the basis of advice from regulators in the US and Europe.

The Federal Aviation Administration in the US and the European Aviation Safety Agency have subsequently changed their guidance.

British Airways continues to fly to Tel Aviv twice daily from London Heathrow. easyJet has resumed flights from London Luton and London Gatwick to Tel Aviv.

BA is allowing passengers booked to fly to Tel Aviv up to 25 July 2014 to rebook on any flight up to 7 August 2014. No refunds are available.

easyJet was also offering passengers the opportunity to rebook that but this seems to have been withdrawn.

BA moves London Heathrow – Tel Aviv back to Terminal 5

London Air Travel » Tel Aviv

London Heathrow Terminal 5 (Image Credit: British Airways)
London Heathrow Terminal 5 (Image Credit: British Airways)

Just under a year ago, as part of a reshuffle of flights between London Heathrow terminals as British Airways digested its acquisition of bmi, BA decided to move all of its flights to Tel Aviv from Terminal 5 to Terminal 1, with all flights operated by an Airbus A321 aircraft.

This proved to be unpopular with passengers for three main reasons:

1. The switch to Terminal 1 meant no access to BA’s Galleries Club and First lounges in Terminal 5 and a change in terminals for the majority of transfer passengers.

2. The switch from three/four class widebody aircraft to a two class, economy and business class, aircraft.

3. The change in aircraft meant that no premium economy product was available on this route and members of the British Airways Executive Club could not use frequent flyer miles (“Avios”) to upgrade to business class (Club World).

BA has now reversed this decision and from Sunday 30 March 2014 all flights to Tel Aviv will operate from Terminal 5. Flights will operate twice daily, with an Airbus A321 aircraft and a four class Boeing 777 aircraft.

It has not been confirmed whether any routes will move from Terminal 5 to 1 to accommodate the move.

Terminal 1 is due to close in Spring 2016, at which point it is expected that BA’s flights will be consolidated in Terminals 3 and 5.