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New York (CNN) — Airways scrambled to cancel flights into Israel early Saturday after Palestinian militants launched a shock assault, firing hundreds of rockets from Gaza into close by Israeli cities throughout a Jewish vacation.
As of Saturday afternoon, about 16percentof flights had been canceled and 23% had been delayed to Ben Gurion Worldwide Airport, Israel’s worldwide hub, situated simply exterior of Tel Aviv.
Some Israel-bound flights had been diverted to different airports across the globe. United Airways flight 954 left San Francisco Worldwide Airport on Friday evening and diverted over Greenland about seven hours into the greater than 13-hour-long journey, in line with flight monitoring website FlightAware. The flight would later return to San Francisco.
“The security of our clients and crews is our prime precedence,” the airline mentioned in a press release. “We’re carefully monitoring the state of affairs and we’re adjusting flight schedules as required.”
FlightAware information additionally present Delta Air Traces and American Airways have canceled Saturday and Sunday Israel-bound flights scheduled to depart from John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport in New York Metropolis.
German airline Lufthansa additionally introduced on Saturday it might drastically scale back flights to Tel Aviv.
“Towards the background of the present safety state of affairs in Israel, Lufthansa Group Airways is lowering its flight program to/from Tel Aviv this Saturday,” representatives of the airline mentioned in a press release.
There’ll nonetheless be one flight from Tel Aviv to Frankfurt this Saturday, the airline mentioned, however all different flights have been canceled.
“We’re frequently monitoring the very dynamic safety state of affairs in Israel and are in shut contact with the authorities. The security of our friends and crew members has prime precedence for Lufthansa,” airline representatives wrote.
In style Israeli information outlet Walla! Information reported on Saturday Swiss Air, Austrian Airways and Turkish Airways had canceled flights to and from Israel.
El Al, Israel’s nationwide airline, mentioned clients “might droop flights with out cost or cancel with a voucher with out prices,” and arrange an emergency hotline for purchasers who want to alter their flights.