British Airways resumes Israel flights but fares remain high

British Airways today resumed flights between London and Tel Aviv for the first time since the outbreak of the war, when it was among some 50 foreign carriers that canceled flights to and from Ben Gurion airport. British Airways joins a range of other airlines including Iberia, KLM, Air Canada, Air Seychelles, and Bulgaria Air, which will be renewing their Israel flights in April. The resumption of flights by British Airways will increase the range of flights available to tourists on the high-demand Tel Aviv-London route but it won't change the high fares prevailing in the market. In order for there to be genuine competition and lower the currently exorbitant flight fares, the return of British Airways is not sufficient. British Airways is offering almost identical fares to rival carriers. A return ticket from Tel Aviv to London in mid-May costs $435 in economy class without baggage. The cheapest El Al return ticket to London over the same period without baggage is $463. In addition to the high fares being charged by British Airways, the airline is resuming Israel flights in narrow-bodied aircraft, while before the war it was operating on the Israel route with wider-body planes and a greater choice of seats.<br/>