El Al Cancels Planned Hanoi Route After Security Approval Is Withheld

El Al canceled its planned nonstop route to Hanoi, Vietnam, two months before the October launch after Israeli aviation-security bodies operating under Shin Bet directives withheld approval for Israeli aircraft and crews. The carrier said it had completed commercial and operational preparations and already sold tickets, but had no choice but to cancel. Reports said the decision followed no specific security incident or travel warning, and Arkia's Hanoi service will continue. El Al will offer affected passengers connections through Bangkok, free destination changes, full refunds or vouchers, with customer notifications starting next week.