NEW DELHI: After a gap of two years and three months, regular flight operations between India and Israel resumed on Thursday. Air India, the only Indian carrier operating on this route, had suspended services along with most international airlines following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Several attempts to restart operations during this period were unsuccessful.
A Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, with a maximum capacity of 344 passengers, has been deployed for the service, which will operate five times a week.
Flight AI139 departed from Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport at 7.19 am with 190 passengers and arrived in Tel Aviv at 10.15 am local time. The flight duration was six hours and 25 minutes. The return flight also operated on Thursday, departing Tel Aviv at 1.14 pm local time and arriving at IGIA’s Terminal 3 at 9.42 pm.
According to an Air India source, “Air India is the only operator flying between India and Israel. We have strong demand on this route, with nurses, healthcare students, diplomats and business travellers flying frequently. India is also a popular destination among Israelis. Occupancy levels are over 70% in both directions.”
The source added, “After October 7, we attempted to resume operations a couple of times, but services had to be suspended again due to continued unrest in the region. The last suspension was in May 2025.”
The flights will operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Welcoming the resumption, the Embassy of India in Israel posted on X: “Direct connectivity is back! Air India resumes non-stop flights between Tel Aviv and New Delhi today. The Embassy of India wishes Air India great success and encourages Indian and Israeli travellers to take advantage of this direct air link between India and Israel.”