Air India may extend suspension of Tel Aviv flights till May 15

Israel-Hamas conflict: Air India may extend the suspension of its flight operations to and from the Israeli city of Tel Aviv until May 15 due to the escalation of prevailing tensions in the Middle East, as per sources within the airline. Air India’s decision comes after the initial announcement on April 19, where the carrier has said that there would be a suspension of flight departure for Tel Aviv until April 30. With four weekly flights typically as per the original schedule operating between the national capital and Tel Aviv, the extension of the suspension is expected to be until mid-May, as per the sources.

While there has been no official statement from Air India regarding the extension, tensions persist in the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the militant group Hamas. Air India had previously resumed services to Tel Aviv on March 3 after a hiatus of nearly five months. 
The suspension of flights had commenced on October 7, 2023, following an attack by the Hamas group on the Israeli city. Despite the scaling up of tensions, negotiations for a potential cease-fire between Israel and the Hamas group are underway. 

(With PTI inputs)