Class action request: ‘El Al refunds canceled flights in installments, against the law’
A request for a class action lawsuit was filed against El Al in the Tel Aviv District Court, accusing the airline of refunding canceled flights in installments instead of providing full refunds within 21 days as required by Israel’s Aviation Services Law.
The plaintiff, an attorney, bought tickets via Sun d’Or (an El Al subsidiary) for her daughter’s Warsaw flight, paying in full by January 2026. The April flight was canceled due to new Ben Gurion Airport capacity limits. Despite receiving payment months earlier, El Al issued the refund in two future installments matching the original schedule.
The suit claims this practice unjustly ties up passengers’ money and credit, amounting to unjust enrichment. It seeks to represent all similar cases and estimates total damages at over NIS 2.5 million ($750,000).
El Al said it has not yet received the claim and will respond in court.
Under Israeli law, airlines must refund canceled flights (departing from or arriving in Israel) within 21 days of a request. The case highlights ongoing passenger rights issues amid recent flight disruptions.
The Tel Aviv District Court will now consider certifying the class action.
