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The response of the two Israeli airlines following the approval by the Ministry of Transport for El Al to fly to Eilat:  This is a political decision which will strengthen El Al’s monopoly and will not result in lower fares to Eilat, but will harm interests of the domestic traveler.

The decision of the Minister of Transport to allow El Al to fly to Eilat alongside Arkia and Israir provoked a severe reaction and accusations from Arkia and Israir.  According to the two airlines, the decision is separated from reality and from all professional criteria and was inspired by political considerations.

 “The astounding decision of the Ministry of Transport will weaken both Arkia and Israir, which have only just starting to compete with El Al overseas and the inevitable result will be to decrease overseas competition and to strengthen El Al’s monopoly in the aviation industry and in the field of international flights,”  was the joint response of the two airlines.

 “The haste with which the minister reached his decision is amazing since it was made before carrying out a detailed analysis of its implications and was not made following detailed or professional discussions but published publicly beforehand.” Arkia and Israir charge that the civil aviation authority’s decision was reached for its own political purposes.

According to the airlines, the procedures taken prior to the decision of the Minister’s decision certainly do not withstand public scrutiny, are certainly not legal or administrative and will therefore have to take a test of public and legal supervision in the presence of the appropriate institutions and among other things Arkia and Israir plan to refer this issue to the office of the State Comptroller.

They also added: “It’s unfortunate for Arkia and Israir that their effectiveness, determination and labor on who is appointed in aviation in Israel is expressed only when it involves political requirements and not for the protection and interests of the Israeli airlines against the foreign ones.