Full Breakdown
El Al Cancels Planned Direct Flights to Hanoi
8/14/2026, 8:00:00 AM
Route Cancellation Announcement
El Al Israel Airlines announced that the direct service to Hanoi, Vietnam, slated for launch in October 2026, will not proceed. The airline said Israeli security agencies, operating under the directives of the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), declined to issue the required permits for flights using Israeli aircraft and crew. As a result, passengers who booked the new route are being offered a connection through Bangkok on a foreign carrier, a change to another destination at no extra cost, or a full refund.
Background & Context
The Hanoi route was part of a February 2026 rollout that added nine new destinations, reflecting El Al’s three-year strategy to expand its network toward key markets in the East, North America, and Europe. The airline had completed operational preparations and invested substantial resources before receiving the final security denial. Prior to the cancellation, no airline operated a direct Israel-Hanoi service, requiring travelers to connect through third-party carriers.
Official Statements & Responses
El Al’s statement emphasized that the decision followed a directive from the state’s security authorities, which are responsible for aviation safety. The carrier highlighted that it had initially received “approvals in principle” from the relevant bodies, but the final security clearance was withheld after the airline’s commercial and operational groundwork was finished. To mitigate passenger inconvenience, El Al outlined alternative routing via Bangkok and offered refunds or future-travel vouchers.
Data & Statistics
Verbatim Quotes
- “The decision was made after the security authorities of the State of Israel, which are subject to the directives of the Israeli Security Agency and are responsible for Israeli aviation security, announced that they could not grant the necessary permits to operate the route using Israeli aircraft and crews,” — El Al
