El Al To Suspend Flights Between Toronto & Tel Aviv

Following a shift in demand post-pandemic, Israeli flag carrier El Al has announced it will be slashing flights from its Tel Aviv base to several destinations, including Toronto Pearson International Airport, in late October.
 

As reported by Globes, a spokesperson for the airline confirmed the decision, noting the pandemic’s impact across its network. Two medium-haul destinations, Warsaw and Brussels, have also been axed for a total of three route closures.

However, coverage by The Canadian Jewish News and local media suggests that the airline’s pilots’ shortage and labor disputes may have also played a part in the closure, with the newspaper noting El Al had refused to give any on-the-record interviews or comments regarding the staff shortages.

The carrier has struggled to meet post-pandemic demand, with frequent flights seeing last-minute cancellations over the past few weeks. In May, the airline noted it was in negotiations with its Pilots’ union over employee shortages and lowered staff wages, though a resolution has yet to be found.