'If you fly, you may pay more for return,' Miri Regev says amid flight cancellations

Transportation Minister Miri Regev spoke with Arkia CEO Oz Berlowitz amid the ongoing crisis leading to thousands of Israelis stranded abroad due to flight cancelations as a result of tensions between Israel and Iran, N12 reported on Sunday. 

Regev also discussed those Israelis wanting to return home with Israeli airlines, which are continuing to fly regularly but are facing steep prices. 

"A thousand dollars for a flight ticket from Athens is unreasonable," Regev told Arkia's CEO, who explained that the price for a flight to Athens is set by the company's computer system in response to the high demand. 

Regev, in turn, warned travelers that flight prices might increase even more on return flights, saying, "If you fly, you may have to pay more for the return—this should be factored into your considerations," N12 noted. 

Why are airline ticket fees rising?

After Berlowitz explained that the high prices are due to the airline's computer system, the company clarified that the airline's yield management system sets pricing based on demand and the number of remaining seats on a flight.

This comes amid reports that Israel's tourism industry has plunged into crisis following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. In this case, international airlines began canceling flights to Israel due to fear of escalations in the region. 

N12, in its report, stated that last week, Ben Gurion Airport was at peak activity, with approximately 75,000 Israelis passing through on 434 flights. 

However, N12 noted that due to the dramatic situation, numbers dropped to 55,000 travelers on Sunday and only 329 flights—all this before an attack.