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The Minister of Transport has decided to adopt the recommendations of the Civil Aviation Authority to approve El Al’s application to fly scheduled flights between Ben Gurion Airport and Eilat, along with Arkia and Israir. The reason for the decision: It will lead to the increased exposure of Eilat and Israel as a tourist destination.

The Minister of Transport accepted the recommendations of the Civil Aviation Authority, following intensive discussions that took place at the office of the Authority with the Israeli airlines and other relevant bodies. This followed an earlier hearing when El Al's application was rejected. The decision allows El Al to operate as an additional carrier alongside Arkia and Israir.

The other two Israeli airlines rallied against this and asked the Minister of Transport to reconsider his decision, claiming that by giving permission to El Al would cause serious economic loss to their operations.  El Al countered saying that the step would help contribute to the exposure of Eilat and encourage more tourism to and from Israel.  It is El Al’s intention to operate 10 daily flights to the city starting from the upcoming high holydays.

Nevertheless Minister Katz indicated that as well as granting permission to El Al to fly to Eilat, he would at the same time order the opening up of additional flight destinations in the world to competition, allowing Arkia and Israir to expand their international operations, in accordance with the recommendations of the civil aviation authority.

The Minister also indicated that decisions regarding El Al's flight times, frequency and seating capacity on flights to Eilat would be determined after the completion of extensive work by the civil aviation authority.

According to the Ministry of Transport, the appointment of El Al as the third carrier to Eilat should result in a lower fares and help to realize the potential on the route. Currently there are 20 daily flights to Eilat, transporting close to a million passengers a year.

 “The liberalization in aviation lead by the Ministry of Transport will provide the possibility of other airlines operating on the route to Eilat and could result in the reduction in fares and an increase in the exposure of Eilat and Israel as a tourist destination,” added Katz.

The Minister of Transport stated that giving permission to El Al to fly to Eilat and the opening up of additional international destinations to competition will be carried out following negotiations with the Israeli airlines in cooperation with all of the concerned parties.

El Al responded by congratulating the head of the Civil Aviation Authority and on the decision of the Minister of Transport in appointing the company as an additional carrier on the route alongside Arkia and Israir. “The decision will make it possible for El Al to operate scheduled domestic flights to Eilat which is to the benefit of the consumer and to the citizens of Eilat in particular. We hope that the decision will allow El Al to start operating flights this coming winter timetable, in order to increase tourism to Eilat."