Passengers' Shock as British Airways Flight Makes Unexpected U-turn moments before Touching Down in Tel Aviv
British Airways flight bound for Tel Aviv abruptly reverses course moments before landing, following the airline's decision to cancel all flights to ensure passenger safety Explore how other airlines are responding to similar concerns (324 characters)
A British Airways flight from London to Tel Aviv was forced to make a sudden U-turn before landing in the Israeli city on Wednesday. The airline had cancelled all flights to the destination due to safety concerns. Flight BA165, departing from London's Heathrow Airport, was nearing Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion International Airport when it was redirected back to its initial departure point, as confirmed by the FlightRadar24 airplane tracking website.
British Airways confirmed to CNN that the flight was diverted before its scheduled landing in the northern Israeli city, which has been subjected to intense rocket attacks amidst ongoing fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas.
As of late Wednesday, the airline announced the suspension of its services to and from Tel Aviv.
"Safeguarding the well-being of our passengers remains our utmost concern. In light of the most recent evaluation of circumstances, we have made the decision to temporarily halt all flights between Tel Aviv and our designated destinations," the statement released to CNN conveyed.
Essential information for travelers regarding Israel and Gaza
British Airways is reaching out to customers who had reservations for travel to or from Tel Aviv. The purpose is to express apologies for the inconveniences caused and provide alternative solutions such as refunds or the possibility to rebook with different airlines. The airline is closely observing the situation in the region but has not specified a date for when flights are expected to resume.
What other airlines are doing
Numerous other international airlines with connections to Tel Aviv have suspended services as attacks have escalated.
Virgin Atlantic, Delta, United, and American Airlines, among other US carriers, have recently canceled flights or codeshare services. Simultaneously, several countries have initiated special repatriation flights to evacuate their citizens from Israel.
CNNs Barry Neild contributed to this report
