Ted Cruz Blasts State Department for Influencing Airlines to Suspend Flights To Israel

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) accused the U.S. State Department of stifling U.S.-based airlines from resuming flights to Israel. He accused the outgoing Biden administration of entangling into the decision process and that the airlines and unions of boycotting Israel, which would be illegal. 

Cruz, the incoming chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, questioned the State Department’s alleged actions in a statement to the Jewish Insider, adding that he “welcomes a full investigation of these issues.” And alleged that “The Biden-Harris administration was lax in pursuing why some airlines will not fly to Israel. Indeed, they may have been worse than lax, and the State Department may have become inappropriately entangled in deliberations over safety and subverted the FAA.”

“Meanwhile there have been allegations about antisemitic discrimination by airlines and that calls by unions not to fly to Israel were motivated solely by pro-Hamas activists. These allegations are troubling and, of course, American law prohibits American companies from participating in politically motivated boycotts of Israel,” the statement adds.

In the aftermath of the horrific October 7th massacre by Hamas, all US-based airlines (namely American, United, and Delta) immediately canceled all scheduled flights to Tel Aviv and were reluctant to resume flights since then as the subsequent war on Hamas (and Hezbollah later on) raged on. 

United and Delta resumed flights for a short period during the Summer before canceling them again when Iran attacked Israel. El AL has been the only airline to fly between the U.S. and Israel (mostly) uninterrupted, since October 7th. 

There are two main hurdles to flying to Israel for U.S. airlines. One has been insurance policies.

The other is overnight layovers in “an active war zone,” which aircrew unions refused to agree to. (This is also why some European-based airlines — who could fly in and out on the same day with the same crew — resumed service at times.)

Only one industry union, the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA), publicly called to halt military aid to Israel immediately and ceasefire. Other industry unions haven’t called for it.  

On October 3rd, The FAA urged U.S. airlines and pilots “to use caution when flying in Israeli airspace.” And the State Department, which Cruz is alleging of stifling U.S. airlines, has a level 3 advisory for travel to Israel, “due to terrorism and civil unrest.”

Over the past year, Israeli aviation officials countered that the country’s skies are safe. And that the authorities will close the airspace on their own initiative if and when the situation really calls for it, (such as when Iran sent hundreds of missiles and rockets in April and October).

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), said in its current evaluation of Israeli airspace that, “The Civil Aviation Authority of the State of Israel has demonstrated its ability to efficiently manage the risks to civil aviation in its airspace to date.” However, it warned air operators to implement a stringent monitoring process and risk assessment in Israeli airspace, due to Iranian aggression.

In the past months, airlines haven’t said why they canceled flights indefinitely or when they will return. Often citing reasons such as crew, security, and limits to their insurance policy, among others. When they do is anyone’s guess.

Tel Aviv airport photo: Chris Hoare/Wikimedia; Cruz Photo: Photo by Glenn Fawcett/U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

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