Israeli Regulation On Air Passenger Rights

Airlines are required by the Israeli Aviation Services Law (IASL) to notify you if you are refused boarding, or your flight from or to Israel is canceled, or it is delayed for more than two hours. Request a copy of the language outlining your rights, particularly those related to reimbursement and assistance, at the check-in desk or boarding gate.

The following situations give passengers rights under Israel's Aviation Services Law:

  • You have made a confirmed reservation on an airline-operated aircraft at a tariff that is made directly or indirectly accessible to the general public; and
  • You showed up for check-in prior to the check in deadline as outlined by the airline in general terms & conditions of travel or applicable regulations, unless your flight has been canceled; and
  • You are traveling on a flight leaving from or landing at an airport in Israel, unless it is obvious that you received benefits, compensation, or assistance in that other country, and that those benefits, compensation, or assistance directly correspond to your entitlement under ASL; and
  • Boarding has not been rejected due to a circumstance outlined in our general terms and conditions of travel or regulations associated therewith; and
  • Your flight has been canceled, delayed by more than two hours, or you have been refused boarding without your consent.

Denied Boarding

If enough seats are not available for all passenger with a confirmed reservation, before involuntarily denying boarding to other passengers, the airline will ask volunteers to give up their seats in exchange for advantages the airline and the volunteer may agree upon. If there are not enough volunteers and you are forcibly denied boarding, you have rights (just like in the event of a flight cancellation), unless you have been turned away because there are valid reasons to do so, like concerns about your health, safety, or security or insufficient travel documents.

Flight Delay Between 2 and 8 Hours

You are eligible to compensation if your flight is delayed by more than two hours but less than eight hours from the scheduled time of departure.

Flight Cancellation and Delays by More than 8 Hours

You are entitled to compensation if your flight is canceled, delayed by more than eight hours, or moved ahead.

Note that the Airline has right to refuse compensation if:

  • Two weeks before the scheduled departure time, you are informed of the cancellation.; or
  • Between two weeks and seven days prior to the scheduled time of departure, you are informed of the cancellation and given the option of rerouting your trip so that you can leave no earlier than two hours before that time and arrive at your destination no later than four hours after that time.; or
  • The flight was canceled due to a strike or a protected work by rule strike; the flight was canceled to prevent the desecration of the Sabbath or a Jewish holiday. These extraordinary circumstances were beyond the airline's control, even if the airline had taken all reasonable precautions.

The aforementioned clauses do not apply if you decline to board the substitute flight because it was not provided to your travel companion(s), or because of safety, religious, or medical reasons.

Right to Compensation

Subject to the exclusions listed above, you are entitled to the following sums if you are forcibly denied boarding, or your flight is canceled or delayed by eight hours or more relative to the scheduled departure time:

A. NIS 1,320, in respect of all flights of 2,000 km or less; or

B. NIS 2,120 in respect of all flights between 2,000 km and 4,500 km; or

C. NIS 3,180 in respect of all flights over 4,500 km

If the delay in landing time at the final destination compared to the original landing time is less than 4 hours (for flights falling under category A), 5 hours (for flights falling under category B), or 6 hours (for flights falling under category C), the aforementioned compensation will be reduced by 50%.

Right to Reimbursement or Re routing

You have the options below if you were refused boarding, your flight was canceled, or it was delayed for at least eight hours:

a) Within 21 days of receiving a written application, reimbursement in the amount paid for the airplane ticket, including fees, levies, taxes, and other required payments a substitute ticket for your intended destination; or

b) Re-routing as soon as possible to your final destination under equivalent transport circumstances; or

c) Re-routing to your final destination at a later time that suits you under equivalent transportation conditions, assuming there are seats available.

You have the right to a refund and a return flight to the point of departure at the earliest opportunity if your flight is delayed by at least five hours and you decide not to travel.

In the event of a delay of at least five hours, you have the option of refund or rerouting if you do not intend to proceed with your original travel arrangements. However, you will only be eligible for reimbursement if the flight was delayed because of a protected strike. If the airline is unable to provide the aforementioned care, it will, upon request, refund you for your reasonable, receipted charges.

Within 21 days of receiving a written request, reimbursement in the full amount paid for the flight ticket, including fees, levies, taxes, and other required payments.

Right to Care

You will be given the following complimentary options if the airline anticipates a flight will be delayed by at least two hours:

a) as long as it does not cause the aircraft's departure to be delayed any more, meals and beverage vouchers that are fair in relation to the waiting time

b) two telephone calls, telex or fax messages or e mails;

If a flight's delay is anticipated to be between 5 and 8 hours by the airline, you will also be offered free of charge:

c) hotel accommodation in cases where a stay of one or more nights becomes necessary, or where a stay additional to that intended by you becomes necessary;

d) transport between the airport and place of accommodation (hotel or other).

Right to Compensation in the Event of a Downgrade

In the event that you are not accommodated in the cabin class for which your ticket was purchased, and you are offered a seat in the cabin class lower than the class for which your ticket was purchased, you have the following rights:

-Transfer from First Class to Business Class: the refund of 60% of the affected portion of the ticket;

-Transfer from First or Business Class to Economy Class: the refund of 100% of the affected portion of the ticket.

The affected portion of the ticket shall be determined based on the total price of the ticket multiplied by the ratio that the flight distance of the portion of your trip for which your ticket has been downgraded bears to the total distance for which your ticket was purchased.