Top airlines shun Israel for second day

Major airlines from around the world, including all those by US operators, have suspended flights into Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport.

Top airlines shun Israel for second day

Security agents stand near a departure board in Ben Gurion Airport, just outside Tel Aviv, Israel, showing,the many cancelled flights (AAP)

Major airlines have shunned Israel for a second day, while Washington renewed a ban on US flights to Tel Aviv due to the Gaza conflict.

In a Notice to Airmen, or NOTAM, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday prohibited all flights by US operators to Ben Gurion International Airport for another 24 hours until 1615 GMT on Thursday (0215 Friday AEST).

It issued its initial ban on Tuesday after a Hamas rocket fell on a neighbourhood to the north of the airport, raising fears that a commercial flight risked being struck.

Delta, United and US Airways all cancelled their scheduled flights for Wednesday, as did a raft of European carriers, including Lufthansa.

"We will continue to suspend flying to and from Tel Aviv consistent with the FAA directive and will continue to coordinate with the FAA to ensure the safety of our customers and employees," a United spokeswoman said.

"We plan these things conservatively," added Delta's chief executive Richard Anderson, speaking on the CNBC business news cable channel.

"But we will need concrete information from our government that lets us draw an independent conclusion ... that it's going to be safe for our passengers and our employees."

In Europe, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Finnair, Iberia, Lufthansa and SAS all cancelled their Wednesday services to Tel Aviv.

Aeroflot and Romanian carrier TAROM, on the other hand, said they would resume flights on Wednesday after cancelling Tuesday's services.

In a press statement, the FAA said it was "working closely" with the Israeli government to "determine whether potential risks to US civil aviation are mitigated so the agency can resolve concerns as quickly as possible".

Meanwhile, Israeli flag carrier El Al declared on its website that it was business as usual and the Israeli Airports Authority announced it would open the Ovda military airport, 60 kilometres north of Israel's Red Sea resort of Eilat.


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