Lufthansa Suspends Tel Aviv Cargo Flights

Lufthansa Cargo temporarily halted all cargo services to and from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport after a missile attack on 4 May injured eight people and raised serious concerns over airspace safety.

The attack was reportedly launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels based in Yemen and prompted at least 17 airlines to cease operations into Israel’s main airfreight hub.

Lufthansa’s official statement

A Lufthansa spokesperson confirmed: “Due to the current situation, Lufthansa Cargo has decided to suspend its flights to and from Tel Aviv until and including 11 May.”

This includes halting all freight acceptance in Frankfurt (Fraport) for shipments bound for Tel Aviv. Categories impacted include:

• Temperature-sensitive cargo (both active and passive cooling)

• Live animal transport

• Perishable goods

Lufthansa’s weekly A321 freighter route (Fraport–Tel Aviv–Fraport) is paused, and its 777F freighter service (Fraport–Tel Aviv–Cairo–Fraport) will now bypass Israel entirely. The airline also noted that “there are no alternative gateways to Tel Aviv.”

Extended delays likely

While the stated suspension lasts until 11 May, Lufthansa has cautioned that knock-on effects, such as terminal backlogs, could cause delays beyond this date. “It is harder to provide a clearer time frame on cargo,” the spokesperson added.

Other carriers monitor situation

Some carriers have adopted a more cautious approach. Live tracking suggests DHL and FedEx continue servicing Ben Gurion.

The industry remains alert as tensions in the region continue to evolve.