On Friday, January 26th, El Al Israel Airlines announced the suspension of its South Africa via Johannesburg route, effective from the end of March. This significant move comes after South Africa accused Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, leading to a steep drop in demand for flights to the region.
The Israeli flag carrier, which operates up to twice weekly nonstop flights to Johannesburg, has noted a marked decrease in Israelis traveling to South Africa. “Israelis don’t want to fly to South Africa,” an El Al spokesperson explained. “Flight cancellations are increasing, and planes are flying with many empty seats. This change in travel patterns is a direct result of the current situation, which contrasts starkly with previous travel trends.”
The spokesperson further elaborated that the reluctance of Israelis to visit South Africa, coupled with a desire to travel to other destinations, influenced the airline’s decision to pause the Johannesburg route. The company also cited the current security situation as a contributing factor to this decision.
The ICJ ruled that South Africa’s request for emergency measures against Israel was valid. This includes a call to halt Israeli military operations in Gaza, where Israel faces allegations of state-led genocide from the ICJ, but the court stopped short of calling for a ceasefire. The situation escalated following an attack on Israel by the Islamist group Hamas on October 7th, which resulted in the death of 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of over 240 others. Israel’s heavy response in Hamas-ruled Gaza led to more than 25,000 deaths, according to reports from Gaza health authorities.
Israel has requested the ICJ to dismiss the case outright, with a government spokesperson expressing that they would reject what they termed “spurious and specious charges.” South Africa, on the other hand, argued that Israel’s aerial and ground offensive aimed at the “destruction of the population” of Gaza.
Following the cessation of its Johannesburg flights, El Al plans to reallocate the widebody aircraft used on this route to expand services to North America and destinations in Asia, including Bangkok and Tokyo. The airline is also exploring new route options in light of these changes.
