Israeli airline Arkia Airlines Ltd. has received its first new Airbus A321neoLR airliner, one of three of this model that will be added to the airline's fleet in the near future and the first of its type delivered to any airline. The airliner can fly for eight hours, which will enable Arkia to fly to existing and new destinations, including Goa in India, a destination that Arkia has been planning for a long time. Another destination made reachable by the new airliner is the Seychelles Islands.
Two years from now, Arkia will receive two Airbus A330-900 airliners, which will enable it to compete in direct flights to New York.
Arkia CEO Nir Dagan called receiving the new planes "a significant milestone." The airliner was delivered to Arkia today in Hamburg.
Arkia's new A321neoLR, the latest version of Airbus's A321 series, will be named after song lyricist Ehud Manor. It has 220 seats in one compartment. Arkia will offer passengers WiFi on the flights, and passengers will be able to view content of the entertainment system, including content from HOT Telecommunication Systems Ltd. (TASE: HOT), through their personal mobile devices.
Arkia will later receive two more A321neoLRs, which will be added to its fleet of Embraer airliners. The new planes, which will replace the Boeing 757s used by Arkia for the past 18 years, will be used for flights to new and existing destinations. Arkia, owned by the Nakash family (70%) and the company's employees (30%), is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on November 14, 2018
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