Bulgaria Air temporarily suspends flights to and from Tel Aviv

Bulgaria Air airline is temporarily suspending flights on its regular route Sofia - Tel Aviv - Sofia.

The decision has been taken due to the escalation of tensions in Israel in recent weeks and due to the deepening armed conflict, after a careful analysis of the security risks, the company said on October 26.

The national carrier's top priority has always been to ensure the safety of passengers and crew, and the complicating situation in Israel poses a significant security risk to civilian flights to and from Tel Aviv airport.

Due to the heightened military risk, each individual flight to the Middle Eastern country is subject to prior assessment and confirmation of insurance cover, and the complicated situation makes it impossible to obtain the necessary clearance to operate the flights.

"Bulgaria Air has duly informed passengers of the change to their reservations and issued tickets. The cancellation of the flights is due to reasons beyond the airline's control, arising in the context of extraordinary circumstances and as a result of the military confrontation in Israel.

The national carrier apologised for the inconvenience caused and said that it was giving affected passengers the opportunity to change the dates free of charge on all purchased tickets for travel from/to Tel Aviv within a period of up to one year.

“We would like to assure all of our passengers that Bulgaria Air airline is closely monitoring the situation, the recommendations of the state authorities, and after a thorough assessment of the risk will inform you further about the travel option,” the statement said.