Arkia Airlines Ltd. is considering keeping its fleet grounded until Passover 2021. The carrier grounded its fleet in March and has not flown since and has put all of its 500 employees on unpaid leave until the end of August.
The airline has already returned one of its Neo 321 Airbus aircraft, called the Ofra Haza, back to the US company that it leases it from. Arkia, which is owned by the Nakash brothers, has five other aircraft in its fleet - two other Neo 321s and three Embraer aircraft.
When asked about reports that Arkia would not operate until April 2021, chairman Avi Homero told "Globes." "We are thinking about it but there is still no decision."
However, Prof. Yaron Zelekha, who heads the workers council, which holds a 30% stake in the airline, said, "It won't happen, if it depends on me and of course, opening the skies. From our point of view, we will return to operations immediately that the skies reopen.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on July 9, 2020
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