As Ben Gurion Airport gradually resumes operations following a tense period during the ongoing war, El Al has shifted into an extraordinary emergency operating mode aimed at bringing thousands of Israelis stranded abroad back home.

In an extensive interview on the Kol Chai radio news program, Alon Lavi, head of El Al’s operational control division, detailed the unprecedented effort being carried out by the airline to return passengers who were unable to reach Israel when the conflict began.

Lavi explained that the airline had prepared in advance for the moment when Israeli airspace would reopen.

“We prepared to operate rescue flights from more than 22 destinations the moment Ben Gurion Airport reopened,” he said. “We are implementing the framework approved by the government in a responsible and safe way.”

He provided striking figures illustrating the scale of the operation.

“Today, nine El Al rescue flights landed at Ben Gurion Airport from various destinations across Europe. Tomorrow the pace is expected to increase significantly, with 16 scheduled landings,” Lavi said.

The operation is not limited to nearby locations. El Al has deployed wide-body aircraft to transport hundreds of passengers per flight from long-distance destinations including New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and Bangkok.

“The planes are already on their way to Tel Aviv and are expected to land here tomorrow morning,” he added.

In order to reduce confusion and uncertainty among passengers, the airline also took an unusual step.

“We closed ticket sales for new flights until March 21,” Lavi explained.

The goal of that decision is to prioritize existing customers whose flights were canceled because of the war, allowing them to be placed on rescue flights without additional cost rather than selling new tickets at extremely high prices.

One of the most sensitive issues addressed during the interview was El Al’s firm decision not to operate flights on Shabbos.

Despite public pressure and the urgent need to bring Israelis home, Lavi emphasized that this policy remains unchanged.

“This is a Jewish company whose mission includes keeping Shabbos, and we stand behind that principle even under enormous media pressure,” he said.

He explained that the airline is making logistical adjustments to compensate for the day of rest.

“We will carry out the operations before Shabbos begins and immediately after it ends, and everything will work out,” he said. “We are not trying to make things unnecessarily difficult — we are simply remaining faithful to our values.”

Lavi also stressed that the airline is maintaining proactive contact with affected passengers.

“We are in touch with all of our customers twice a day in a proactive way,” he said.

He urged Israelis currently overseas to continue monitoring official channels for updates.

“All of the information is published on our website and on social media. We are doing everything possible to bring everyone home quickly and safely,” he said.

{Matzav.com}