Transavia scraps all summer flights to Lebanon over Israel tensions

Transavia will not fly to and from Lebanon for the whole summer season, the airline reported on Monday. Transavia had already decided to scrap all flights to the capital city Beirut from several airports, including Schiphol, until August 7 after the tensions in the region have escalated.

The airline decided last Monday that it would no longer fly to Beirut. Flight cancellations kept getting extended for days at a time, but Transavia now made the decision for the whole summer. “With this decision, we offer certainty for the next few months, and we prevent last-minute cancelations,” said the airline. Transavia is also going to avoid Lebanon's airspace.

Transavia was the only airline still flying to Beirut from Schiphol. The airline usually did this four times a week.

Tensions in Lebanon have increased since over a week ago after a rocket attack on Majdal Shams in the Israel-occupied Golan Heights. The attack resulted in 12 teenagers losing their lives. Since then, there have been regular attacks in the region.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called again on Dutch people to leave Lebanon on Sunday. “In recent days, the situation has further deteriorated, and the risk of escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has increased further,” the Dutch embassy in Beirut reported.

Other airlines have also decided not to fly to and from Lebanon for the time being. For example, the German Lufthansa will not fly to Beirut until next Monday. Air France announced last week that it will no longer use Lebanese and Israeli airspace.