El Al Israel Airlines announced today that it will not be able to operate the direct route to Hanoi that it planned to inaugurate in October. The reason is that approvals have not been obtained from Israeli security agencies.
The company said that the decision was made after security entities of the State of Israel subject to the instructions of the Israel Security Agency informed it that it would not be possible to issue the approvals required for operating the route with Israeli aircraft and crew. The company hints at criticism of the relevant entities, saying that it had completed all the operational preparations, and invested huge resources, and only then did the security agencies inform it that the flights could not be approved.
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El Al is offering passengers who booked flights on the route various possibilities: a flight to Bangkok with an onward flight to Hanoi with a foreign airline; a change to a different destination on the same dates at no extra cost; or a full refund or a credit voucher for a future booking.
In February this year, El Al announced nine new destinations, among them Hanoi. "After three years in which the company focused on expanding its flight schedule, with an emphasis on core destinations in the East, North America, and Europe, with the aim of becoming Israel’s air bridge to the world, El Al is moving on to the next stage of growth and expansion," the company said at the time. At least in one case, the next stage will have to wait.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on August 13, 2026.
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