TEL AVIV (VINnews)-Israel’s national carrier EL AL announced Wednesday that, effective March 19, the Home Front Command has imposed new operational limits at Ben Gurion Airport, capping outbound flights to the United States at approximately 130 passengers per aircraft — roughly half the previous capacity on many routes.

The government-mandated directive requires EL AL to comply immediately, meaning about half of currently booked passengers on upcoming U.S.-bound flights will receive cancellation notices, the airline said.

Affected passengers are entitled to a full refund or a credit voucher for future travel. Details and next steps are available at elal.com.

EL AL is also pausing the assignment of additional passengers to U.S.-bound flights while the restrictions remain in place.

Ahead of the Passover holiday, the airline released its limited flight schedule for March 21-28, focusing on 12 key destinations selected based on demand and operational feasibility under current security guidelines.

Active destinations include:

United States: New York, Newark, Miami, Los Angeles

Asia: Bangkok, Phuket, Tokyo

Europe: Paris, London, Milan, Madrid, Munich, Athens

Flights to Rome, Amsterdam, Lisbon and Warsaw are canceled for the week.

Passengers originally booked on flights to these 12 destinations will be automatically reassigned, with no need to contact customer service.

The airline emphasized that if security authorities ease restrictions on Ben Gurion Airport operations, EL AL will add flights during the week to accommodate more travelers departing from or entering Israel.

Customers receiving cancellation notices or wishing to cancel voluntarily may opt for a full refund or a credit voucher.

The reductions follow ongoing security challenges, including recent missile activity impacting airport operations, which have forced scaled-back service at Israel’s main international gateway. EL AL continues to operate under emergency protocols amid the broader regional conflict.