El Al canceled a flight from New York to Israel on Friday after delays made it impossible for the aircraft to reach Eretz Yisroel before the onset of Shabbos, with passengers already aboard the plane when the decision was made.
Flight LY8 had been scheduled to depart from John F. Kennedy International Airport, but a series of delays pushed back its departure. Eventually, airline officials determined that even if the plane took off, it would no longer be able to land in Israel before shkiah on Friday.
Rather than risk operating the flight on Shabbos, El Al canceled the flight altogether in keeping with the airline’s longstanding policy of not flying on Shabbos.
Passengers, who had already boarded the aircraft and taken their seats, were informed that the flight would not be departing. The plane returned to the gate, the passengers were asked to disembark, and their luggage was unloaded.
As of Friday morning, El Al had not announced when the stranded passengers would be placed on another flight or what arrangements would be made for them in the meantime.
El Al, Israel’s national carrier, operates under Jewish ownership and has long maintained a policy of Shabbos observance. Its aircraft do not operate from Friday evening through Motzoei Shabbos, and the airline’s schedules are generally structured to ensure that flights arrive before Shabbos begins.
Under Israeli aviation law, an airline may, under certain circumstances, cancel a flight when necessary to avoid landing after the onset of Shabbos. In such cases, the carrier may also be exempt from the usual financial compensation requirements that apply to canceled flights, depending on the circumstances and applicable provisions of the law.
That exemption, however, does not mean that passengers lose their other rights following a cancellation. Travelers whose flights are canceled are generally entitled to choose between being placed on an alternative flight or receiving a full refund, in accordance with Israeli law.
Passengers who face extended delays may also be entitled to assistance from the airline, including food and beverages. Where necessary, those obligations can also include hotel accommodations and transportation between the airport and the hotel.
It remains unclear whether El Al will place the LY8 passengers aboard regularly scheduled flights after Shabbos or arrange a special replacement flight.
