Athens Becomes Central Hub in Israeli Emergency Airlift Operation

With Israel's airspace still largely closed due to ongoing security concerns, Athens International Airport has emerged as one of the main staging points for incoming rescue flights for Israelis stranded in Europe.

The first wave of repatriation flights from Greece began earlier this week, with aircraft arriving from Athens loaded with Israeli nationals who had been stranded in Europe. As Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority carefully coordinated air corridors, Greek authorities have facilitated smooth takeoff and landing procedures for the humanitarian missions. El Al and Arkia are operating multiple flights daily from Athens, while Israir has also included the Greek capital in its evacuation plan.

The Greek government's cooperation has been instrumental in ensuring the flow of people and aircraft in through the few open air channels between Europe and Israel. Flights are being routed through Greece not only for logistical convenience, but also because of longstanding diplomatic and operational ties between Athens and Tel Aviv. Israeli passengers arriving in Athens from other European countries are being swiftly processed and transferred onto homebound flights, making the city a key transit point in the airlift operation.

Beyond Athens, other Greek airports and regional partners in the Mediterranean, such as Larnaca in Cyprus, are also playing a supportive role. However, Athens stands out as the busiest node due to its proximity and capacity to handle large-scale aviation operations under short notice.

Outbound flights from Israel are expected to resume as early as Monday, with the process heavily reliant on further flights via Greek and other European hubs. Greece’s swift response and infrastructure readiness have allowed Israel’s national airlines to continue their missions effectively for Israeli citizens to return home.

Source: The Times of Israel