El Al flight delay compensation
Under Israel's Aviation Services Law, El Al owes ₪1,530, ₪2,450 or ₪3,670 per passenger by distance for a delay of eight hours or more, or for a cancellation notified within fourteen days. It must pay within forty-five days of a written demand.
Work out what El Al owes you →What El Al owes, by distance
| Distance of the flight | Compensation per passenger |
|---|---|
| Up to 2,000 km | ₪1,530 |
| 2,000–4,500 km | ₪2,450 |
| Over 4,500 km | ₪3,670 |
When it applies: Delay of 8 hours or more, cancellation notified less than 14 days ahead, or denied boarding. The figures come from Aviation Services Law (Compensation and Assistance), 5772-2012 and are per passenger, including children on their own ticket.
How to claim, in four steps
- Work out what El Al owes. Enter the route, the date and how late you arrived. A flight from Tel Aviv is often covered by two statutes at once, and the calculator shows which of them pays more.
- Write the demand. The letter is dated, cites Aviation Services Law (Compensation and Assistance), 5772-2012 by article, and is addressed to El Al Israel Airlines Ltd.. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
- Send it to El Al. Use “Aviation Services Law — passenger rights (Hebrew)” below, and keep a copy of what you submitted. A claim that exists only in a phone call cannot be proved afterwards.
- Escalate to the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel and the Consumer Protection Authority. If El Al refuses or says nothing, the calculator writes the chaser and then the escalation letter, naming that regulator and citing the article the airline ignored.
Where to send it — El Al's own claim pages
- Aviation Services Law — passenger rights (Hebrew)
- Aviation Services Law — summary (PDF, Hebrew)
- Aviation Services Regulations (PDF, Hebrew)
A flight from Tel Aviv to an EU airport can fall under both the Israeli Aviation Services Law and EU261 when operated by an EU carrier. Where both apply, claim under the one that pays more — the calculator works that out and says why.
The refusals El Al sends, and what answers them
“Technical fault / unexpected maintenance issue”
Not extraordinary, and settled as such. Ask the airline to name the defect.
“The delay was under the statutory threshold”
The clock runs on the actual difference from the scheduled time. Ask for both in writing.
A travel voucher instead of money
You may decline a voucher and be paid in money instead.
Silence
Silence is not a defence. Set a deadline and name the regulator.
Each of these has a settled answer in case law — the the Aviation Services Law page sets out the judgments, names the cases, and quotes what the airline has to prove instead.
Other things that go wrong on an El Al flight
- When the airline blames a technical fault — when El Al blames a technical fault
- Your flight was cancelled — when El Al offers a voucher instead of money
- Should you use a claim company? — when El Al ignores you — and why you still do not need a claim company
- You missed your connection — a missed connection on an El Al itinerary
- Denied boarding and overbooking — being bumped from an overbooked flight by El Al
- They moved you to a lower class — being moved to a lower class by El Al
- Your bag did not arrive — a bag El Al delayed or lost
- Stuck at the airport: what the airline owes you now — meals and a hotel while El Al leaves you waiting
Worked examples from Tel Aviv
- Tel Aviv → Paris — which law applies in each direction, and the amount
- Tel Aviv → New York — which law applies in each direction, and the amount
- Tel Aviv → Toronto — which law applies in each direction, and the amount
Questions
Where is the El Al compensation claim form?
El Al takes claims through its own page: Aviation Services Law — passenger rights (Hebrew). Submit it yourself and keep a copy or a screenshot of what you sent — a claim with no record is hard to chase. You do not need a claim company to use it.
How do I claim compensation from El Al for a delayed flight?
Check what the flight is owed — it depends on distance and on how late you arrived, not on the fare. Then send El Al a written claim through its form, citing Aviation Services Law (Compensation and Assistance), 5772-2012, and give it the time it asks for to answer. If it refuses or goes quiet, escalate to the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel and the Consumer Protection Authority.
How much does El Al pay for a delayed flight?
₪1,530 for up to 2,000 km, ₪2,450 for 2,000–4,500 km, ₪3,670 for over 4,500 km under Aviation Services Law (Compensation and Assistance), 5772-2012. The band is set by the distance of the flight, not by what the ticket cost.
Does El Al have to pay if the delay was a technical fault?
Usually yes. A technical problem inherent in normal operations is not an extraordinary circumstance, so it does not excuse El Al from paying. The judgments that establish this are set out on the the Aviation Services Law page.
Do I have to accept a voucher?
No. Article 7(3) permits payment in vouchers only with your signed agreement, so you can decline one and ask for a bank transfer instead.
How long do I have to claim against El Al?
Four years under section 19 of the Aviation Services Law, and El Al must pay within 45 days of a written demand.
Open the calculator with El Al selected →
Claiming from El Al in practice
| How long El Al takes to reply | The Aviation Services Law requires payment within 45 days of a written demand. |
| How it pays | Bank transfer in shekels. |
| Worth knowing | A Tel Aviv to EU flight on an EU carrier is covered by the Israeli law and EU261 at once. Claim under whichever pays more. |
Which band your route falls into, from TLV
Distance decides the amount, and it is measured as the great-circle distance between the two airports — not the miles flown. These are real distances from El Al's main base, so you can see where the thresholds sit before you measure your own route.
| From TLV to | Distance | Band |
|---|---|---|
| TLV → Athens (ATH) | 1,194 km | ₪1,530 |
| TLV → Dubai (DXB) | 2,131 km | ₪2,450 |
| TLV → Rome (FCO) | 2,279 km | ₪2,450 |
| TLV → Barcelona (BCN) | 3,082 km | ₪2,450 |
| TLV → Paris (CDG) | 3,284 km | ₪2,450 |
| TLV → London (LHR) | 3,588 km | ₪2,450 |
| TLV → Bangkok (BKK) | 6,945 km | ₪3,670 |
| TLV → New York (JFK) | 9,117 km | ₪3,670 |
If El Al refuses or says nothing
The regulator for El Al is the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel and the Consumer Protection Authority (gov.il). Take the claim there once the airline has had its chance to answer and has either refused or gone silent — bring the dated letter, the airline's reply, and your booking reference. Stage 3 of the calculator writes the escalation letter that names this body.
How long you have: Four years under section 19 of the Aviation Services Law, and El Al must pay within 45 days of a written demand.