Israel Matzav

Israelis stuck in Turkey

Israelis who found themselves in Turkey when the FAA ban on flying to Israel was announced are stuck. Turkish Airlines is not flying to Israel before July 31, and the Turkish authorities refuse to let El Al in.

Israelis yelled at Turks in Ataturk airport today, after the US Federal Aviation Administration lifted its ban on flights to Tel Aviv, and Turkish Airlines responded by extending its ban until July 31.

Placing nearly four thousand stranded Israelis on outbound flights has been a challenge, no doubt aggravated by the fact that Turkey will not let El Al, Israel's national airline, land at its airports to airlift out its citizens.

One religious Israeli woman, on her third visit to the massive Turkish hub, said she was prepared to bear the wrath of her family and break Shabbat if she could just get a flight home on Saturday morning.

But those flights, too, were cancelled, as nearly all European airlines followed the Americans in lifting the ban.

Another Israeli man complained, quite loudly, that the airline was suggesting he spend hundreds of dollars to reroute through Amman. Yet another said she was prepared to travel by boat before remaining in Constantinople any longer.

Turkish Airlines offered passengers one night free in a four star hotel, within the city limits here in Istanbul, including food and transportation to and from the airport.

But with days more on the ground, Israelis - and foreign nationals planning travel to Israel - will accrue steep costs to extend their stays.

For those of you who thought you were saving money by flying Turkish, maybe you want to reconsider next trip?

Labels: Ben Gurion Airport, El Al, Gaza, Hamas rockets, Operation Protective Edge, Turkish Airways

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:10 PM