Ryanair Holdings plc (ISEQ: RYA, LSE: RYA, Nasdaq: RYAAY) is considering flying to Israel from Scandinavia, Germany, Italy, and elsewhere in Europe.
The Ministry of Tourism estimates that a one-way fare will cost €60-120, depending on demand and the price of fuel. Low-cost airlines' fares do not include a number of services, such as baggage handling, food and drinks, and so forth. The result is that the actual fare is often more than advertised. On the other hand, there is no doubt that the additional of more carriers on routes to and from Israel will result in lower fares.
Ryanair will only be able to fly to Israel if an aviation agreement is signed with the EU. Negotiations on this agreement began earlier this month, and a deal will reportedly only be signed in another year, or later.
Minister of Tourism Yitzhak Aharonovitch said that Ryanair's interest in a Tel Aviv route was an important achievement for Israeli tourism, which would greatly boost the number of tourists from Central Europe, and create demand for the entry of other low-cost airlines.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 26, 2007
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