Passengers stranded abroad — El Al suddenly canceled a flight

El Al Airlines canceled a flight from New York to Tel Aviv at the last minute on Friday. The reason was delays that would have caused the plane to land after the start of Shabbat. Passengers already on board were disembarked, and luggage was unloaded. The flight was rescheduled for after Shabbat.

El Al Airlines canceled a flight from New York (JFK) to Tel Aviv at the last minute on Friday. Hundreds of passengers already on board the plane on the runway received a cancellation notice. The reason was delays: the crew determined that landing in Israel would occur after the start of Shabbat. The plane was returned to the gate, passengers were disembarked, and luggage was unloaded. The flight was rescheduled for after Shabbat. El Al does not operate flights on Shabbat. According to Israel's Air Transport Services Law, the airline has the right to cancel a flight to avoid violating Shabbat and may be exempt from paying monetary compensation. However, passengers retain the right to an alternative flight or a full refund, as well as assistance services (food, drinks, and if necessary, hotel and transportation). Additional details about the rescheduled flight time and assistance provided were not reported at the time of publication.