After an official complaint from the US administration to the Israeli government, United and Delta will be allowed to operate passenger flights between Tel Aviv and New York. Under the new arrangement El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. (TASE: ELAL), United and Delta will coordinate one daily flight each every three days between Tel Aviv and New York in each direction. In addition, United and Delta will be allowed to take passengers leaving Israel on flights that have brought in cargo. The daily flights will begin on February 20.
Delta has already announced that it will be operating Tel Aviv - New York rescue flights on February 21 and February 25. United will operate flights from Tel Aviv to Newark on Saturday night February 20, February 23 and February 26.
A similar arrangement with other carriers is likely to be implemented on the daily Tel Aviv - Frankfurt currently operated exclusively by Israir Airlines and Tourism Ltd., even though there have been no official complaints by any European carriers or governments.
Rescue flights are also likely to be launched between Tel Aviv and Kiev.
At present, Israeli's skies are officially closed to all passenger flights except on the rescue flights to and from New York and Frankfurt until February 20 but it is expected that Israel's borders will remain closed until at least March 7. Meanwhile, all passengers flying must have prior approval from the Israeli government's exceptions committee as well as a negative Covid test from the previous 72 hours.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on February 17, 2021
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2021