The "Haifa Dreamliner" decorated with San Francisco livery for the debut of El Al's direct route to SFO, April 2019. (Photo/Courtesy El Al) News Israel Commercial flights to Israel will not resume until at least mid-July Facebook Twitter Email SMS WhatsApp Share By Marcy Oster, JTA | May 26, 2020 Commercial flights will not resume to Israel until mid-July at the earliest, according to the head of Ben Gurion Airport. Shmuel Zakaim, the airport’s managing director, told the Israeli news website Ynet that even when the flights eventually restart, the number of departing planes will remain low for now. “Social distancing regulations at airports won’t allow us to increase passenger capacity,” Zakai said. “If we’ll keep up at this pace, we’ll see a few dozen flights departing from Ben Gurion Airport starting mid-July and not earlier. As long as there is no vaccine for coronavirus and the disease keeps moving across countries there will be no significant change.” The new regulations will require travelers to arrive four hours early for a flight, at which time they will receive a temperature check, wear face masks and remain social distanced in waiting areas. They will not be allowed to have any non-travelers accompany them. The Jerusalem Post confirmed that senior Health Ministry officials visited the airport last week to review plans for reopening some commercial travel, though no concrete plans or dates were set. Before the outbreak, United and El Al both offered non-stop flights to Israel from San Francisco International Airport. Marcy Oster Israel-based JTA correspondent JTA Content distributed by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency news service. Also On J. California State Jewish caucus' primary endorsements are a diverse bunch On Stage This Pleasanton teen is bringing drag shows to the suburban East Bay Opinion The Buffalo shooter's extremist ideology is mainstream on the right Bay Area New Lehrhaus class series views abortion through Jewish lens Subscribe to our Newsletter Enter Email Sign Up