First Publication | Due to security considerations: El Al forced to cancel new direct route to Vietnam
It has come to the attention of N12 that El Al is forced to cancel the launch of its direct route to Hanoi, Vietnam. Israeli security officials stated that they could not grant the necessary permits to operate the route. This is not related to a specific security incident or a travel warning, but rather to the approval of Israeli security procedures at the airport.
First publication: El Al will not be able to operate its direct route to Hanoi, Vietnam, due to security considerations, despite plans to begin flights this coming October, as reported by N12. The decision follows an announcement from Israeli security officials, who operate under the guidance of the Shin Bet and are responsible for aviation security, that it is not possible to grant the necessary permits to operate the route using Israeli aircraft and crews.
N12 has learned that this is not related to a security incident or a travel warning for the destination, but is strictly a matter concerning the approval of Israeli security procedures at the airport. El Al announced the new route in early February as part of a series of new flight destinations. This marked the first time El Al had expanded its flight network since the beginning of the war.
El Al issued the following statement:
"Due to the lack of permits from the security officials of the State of Israel, acting under the guidance of the Shin Bet, El Al is forced to cancel the launch of the route to Hanoi. We apologize to passengers who purchased tickets and are offering a flexible change policy."
Despite the cancellation of the El Al route, Arkia continues to operate charter flights to Vietnam using non-Israeli aircraft.
