The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has lifted its significant travel warning to Israel, initially issued on September 28 following the assassination of Hezabollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Credit for this achievement has gone to Transportation Minister Miri Regev, who reportedly discussed the issue with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and the Hungarian Minister for European Union Affairs, Janos Boka. However, the European agency did not mention these meetings in announcing its decision.
After the assassination, the European Aviation Agency had recommended suspending flights to Israel until October 31. Yet, on Wednesday, it lifted the warning, although it noted that risks remain.
"The Civil Aviation Authority of the State of Israel has demonstrated its ability to effectively manage risks to civil aviation in its airspace thus far," the agency said in a statement. "However, the current intensity of the conflict and the heightened tension with Iran pose risks to civil aviation. We will continue to monitor the situation closely to determine if the risk level increases or decreases."
The agency advised airlines to assess risks for each flight to Israel. "It must be ensured that a flight does not commence or continue as planned unless it is confirmed by all reasonable means that the airspace can be used safely."
This decision is expected to prompt at least some foreign airlines to resume flights to Israel. Blue Bird Airlines announced on Wednesday, immediately following the announcement of the decision, that it would resume flights to Israel.