El Al cancels Vietnam route after Shin Bet blocks security approval
The airline had already sold thousands of tickets and invested heavily in the new direct route to Hanoi, which was scheduled to launch in October.
Two months after opening ticket sales for its new direct route to Hanoi, Vietnam, and after selling thousands of tickets, El Al has announced that it is canceling the launch of the route, which had been scheduled for October 2026, following directives from the Shin Bet.
"The decision was made after the security authorities of the State of Israel, which are subject to the directives of the Israeli Security Agency and are responsible for Israeli aviation security, announced that they could not grant the necessary permits to operate the route using Israeli aircraft and crews," El Al said in a statement.
The airline said that before announcing the new route, it had received approvals in principle from the relevant authorities, including the security authorities. However, after completing its operational and commercial preparations and investing substantial resources in the launch, El Al was informed that the flights could not be approved.
There is currently no airline operating a direct route between Israel and Hanoi. Passengers traveling between the two destinations must therefore connect through a foreign airline. El Al offers an alternative route via Bangkok, followed by a connecting flight operated by a foreign carrier.
The airline said this option will be offered to passengers who have already purchased tickets for the canceled Hanoi route. El Al added that passengers who had booked the canceled direct flights will be able to receive connecting tickets at no additional cost.
