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Following a hearing at the offices of Giora Rom, head of the Israel Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA), an El Al spokesperson announced: “This step will result in an increasing number of tourists connecting from international flights to Eilat, contributing to an better service and timetable than currently exists.

El Al is not giving up on the right of operating flights to Eilat.  During a hearing held at the offices of the Israel Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA), El Al CEO, Haim Romano, Eli Cohen, Vice President of Commercial & Industry Affairs and the company’s legal advisors in the presence of Giora Rom, gave their intent to be nominated as a leading carrier on internal routes within Israel.

El Al has requested that permission will be given at the earliest possible time, in order that they can plan their winter timetable and the number of daily flights. “There is no example in the world where it is forbidden for the international airline to be used as the leading internal carrier,” claimed El Al.  In the meantime it became known of the intention to operate more than 10 daily flights at the peak time, subject to demand.

On the other hand, representatives of Israir and Arkia are stubbornly contesting the decision to consider for a second time the matter after it was already rejected by the Israel Civil Aviation Authority. “Arkia’s bread and butter are internal flights to Eilat and the entry of El Al will cause serious damage to the operations of the company,” said a spokesperson from Arkia.  Dozens of the company’s employees demonstrated outside the offices of the Civil Aviation Authority in an attempt to apply pressure on the Authority.

Arkia were represented at the hearing by owner Avi Nakash, CEO Gadi Tepper, assistant director-general Nir Dagan and their legal representatives.  Gadi Tepper said that El Al are scared of the competition from Arkia on international routes and therefore is looking to destroy the competition on internal flights.

Israir also protested the issue, but did not appear at the hearing; however the heads of the company delivered to Rom their strong opposition.  El Al rejected the claims that they are harming the competition and said that their appointment as a leading carrier on the route to Eilat will result in an increase in the number of tourists and hotel nights, an improved service, reduced prices by tens of percent and the bringing closer of the outlying regions to the center of the country.

 “We have the potential of opening a new tourist product to Eilat which will reinforce incoming tourism to Israel and internal tourism which will turn the international connecting flight into a more attractive and convenient product,” reported a representative from El Al. “Additionally, it will make it possible for us to offer customers the use of frequent flyer points for use on flights to Eilat.”