More airlines cut flights to Israel after attacks

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Securing direct flights from Israel to the UK has become increasingly difficult with more airlines cancelling flights after the Hamas attacks.

Virgin Atlantic is now operating one flight to and from Tel Aviv a day instead of two, while British Airways continues to offer one flight a day.

EasyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air, Air France, Lufthansa and Emirates have already halted all flights to the UK.

But availability for tickets is scarce, with many flights fully booked.

For example, the earliest BA flight to the UK is on Sunday 15 October, with a one-way ticket costing more than £1,300.

Virgin Atlantic and El Al - which is still operating two flights daily to London Heathrow and two to Luton Airport - have no availability on their UK-bound services until next week.

Flightrader24, a website which tracks flights, told the BBC many airlines had cancelled journeys due to safety concerns, but added the airspace over Israel isn't closed, so the "operate into Tel Aviv is currently down to individual operators".

The dwindling number of direct flights leaving the country comes as James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, urged UK nationals wishing to leave Israel to use commercial transport, with no UK government evacuation currently planned.

"There are air flights, and of course there are land borders with friendly nations - with Egypt, with Jordan," he said. "If you seek to leave Israel we are working with the air industry and with Israeli air traffic control to maintain those flights."

Several airlines have introduced flexible booking policies and allowed customers to change travel dates for free.