In July 2026 Israir flight 116 from Luton to Tel Aviv was cancelled after an airport service vehicle hit the plane. Shabbat-observant passengers only got back to Israel on Sunday.
What happened
According to Walla and Maariv, the vehicle towing the plane before departure struck it and caused damage that grounded the flight. Hundreds of passengers, including families with children, waited for hours on the plane and in the terminal. Israir said passengers were taken to hotels, and those who arranged their own would be reimbursed for lodging, travel and food. Shabbat-observant passengers couldn’t fly before Shabbat and returned on Sunday.
Is compensation due?
In a similar case – an Israir flight to Iceland delayed over 20 hours after a tow vehicle hit the plane’s nose wheel – the Bat Yam Magistrate’s Court held, according to Calcalist, that a collision between a service vehicle and a plane is not a "special circumstance" that exempts the airline. In other words, passengers on a flight like this may be owed the fixed compensation as well as their expenses.
What Shabbat observers who were stuck are owed
- A hotel and (kosher) food until the replacement flight – or reimbursement if they paid themselves.
- For a 2,000–4,500 km flight: fixed compensation of ILS 2,450 per passenger (2026), unless an exemption applies.
- Keep receipts and every message from the airline.
More: Flights and Shabbat · Kosher food during delays.
General information, not legal advice. EinTisa is not a law firm.