Europe’s largest low-cost airline, Ryanair, has confirmed it will not resume flights to Israel this winter, citing ongoing disputes with Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport over flight slot allocations.

In a statement released Tuesday, Ryanair accused airport officials of refusing to confirm its summer 2026 slots, despite the fact that airlines have already begun selling schedules for that season. The airline said it would not continue operating what it described as “loss-making” winter flights without guarantees for next year’s services.

A spokesperson for the Irish carrier went further, saying Ryanair is “fed up” with the way its operations have been handled at Ben Gurion, calling the repeated delays in slot confirmations “absurd.”

As a result, Tel Aviv travelers will lose access to Ryanair’s 22 routes that were offered last winter, along with the airline’s lower fares. The company insists it will only return if Israeli authorities commit to honoring its low-cost agreements.

This announcement follows comments earlier this month from Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary, who warned that the airline may stay out of Israel even after violence in the region subsides. Ryanair had already extended its suspension of flights through late October.

The backdrop remains tense. Since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023, foreign airlines have repeatedly cut and restored services. Ryanair was among those that halted flights after a ballistic missile fired from Yemen struck inside the airport grounds on May 4. Although the missile landed in a wooded area near Terminal 3, the incident reinforced ongoing security concerns.

Meanwhile, Israeli airlines, particularly El Al, have been left dominating several routes, leading to soaring ticket prices for passengers.

For now, Ryanair’s position is firm: no return to Israel this winter, and possibly not beyond, unless airport officials in Tel Aviv resolve the dispute over flight slots.

Reporting by Carl Montel.