Virgin Atlantic has officially confirmed it will no longer operate its direct route between London Heathrow and Tel Aviv, permanently ending the service after previously suspending it in October
2023 due to the Gaza conflict.
Initially launched in September 2019, the route offered up to two daily flights. Though a return was once scheduled for October 2025, the airline has now scrapped those plans after what it described as “careful consideration.”
A spokesperson for Virgin Atlantic told Jewish News: “After careful consideration, we have taken the difficult decision to cancel our services between London Heathrow and Tel Aviv.”
Despite the route’s cancellation, Virgin Atlantic emphasized that it will maintain strong ties with the Israeli market through its exclusive codeshare agreement with EL AL, Israel’s national airline. This partnership, unique among UK airlines, gives passengers access to up to four daily flights between Tel Aviv and London, reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, and seamless connections to U.S. destinations including New York, Miami, Atlanta, and Las Vegas.
Virgin also confirmed that travelers who booked directly with the airline will be contacted starting 10 May with options to rebook with another carrier or request a refund. Affected bookings will also be updated in customers’ “My Booking” accounts on the airline’s website.
“We’re really sorry for the disappointment caused to our loyal customers,” the airline added. Photo by Afpwong, Wikimedia commons.