Ryanair has previously attributed the suspension of its Israel flights to two main factors: the lack of approved slots for the summer 2026 season at Ben-Gurion Airport and uncertainty over the continued operation of Terminal 1, Maariv reported.

The airline stressed that without regulatory clarity on slot allocation and terminal usage, it could not plan its medium-term activity in the Israeli market.

The freeze ahead of winter 2025–2026 led to the cancellation of about 22 direct routes and the loss of roughly one million seats that had been planned for that season, according to the report. That decision significantly reduced low-cost options on several popular European routes from Tel Aviv, adding pressure on the remaining carriers.

Ryanair’s latest step follows months of escalating tension with Israel’s aviation authorities. In late September, The Jerusalem Post reported that the airline would not resume Tel Aviv operations for the winter, saying slot delays and the closure of Terminal 1 had made its Israel program unworkable, while Ben-Gurion Airport rejected that claim and accused the airline of mismanaging its own schedule.