American Airlines pilot union calls for stopping flights to Israel, citing declaration of war

The pilots' union for American Airlines has instructed its members to refuse to fly to Israel due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza. Union President Ed Sicher sent an email to members stating that flights to Israel should not resume until the safety and security of the region can be guaranteed. The decision is based on the latest advisory from the U.S. State Department, which highlights the unpredictable nature of the situation in Israel and the potential danger to aircraft from mortar and rocket fire. Sicher emphasized that it would be irresponsible to put flight crews and passengers at risk by operating flights into a war zone. Israel officially declared war on Sunday in response to a surprise attack by Hamas, which involved breaching a fortified border fence and targeting civilians and soldiers in Israeli communities along the Gaza frontier.