11% increase in scheduled flights expected to and from Israel this winter
According to data from the Israel Airports Authority, it is expected that during this coming winter there will be an 11 percent growth in the number of foreign airlines operating flights to and from Israel. Six new airlines have joined the list of those flying to Israel, while three airlines have announced a reduction in the number of flights.
The Airports Authority has published this forecast ahead of the aviation conference which will discuss the business of liberalization and open skies, with the participation of Giora Rom, chairman of the civil aviation authority, Kobi Mor, head of the Israel Airports Authority, Ronit Kan, head of the Israel Antitrust Authority, Eli Cohen, Vice President of Commercial & Industry Affairs and Gideon Sitterman, the former director general of the Ministry of Transport.
Dani Morag, chief economist at the civil aviation authority, said that one of the chief factors in the expected increase in frequency and seating capacity was as a result of the approval given to six foreign airlines to start scheduled flights to and from Israel during this coming winter season. These include the British airlines EasyJet and Jet2.com, US Airways, Air Berlin and two additional Russian airlines.
Three airlines are expected to reduce the frequency and seating capacity. Delta Airlines are reducing their activities on the route from Atlanta to Tel Aviv, while Ukrainian airline Aerosvit and the Czech carrier CSA have reduced their operations on the routes Tel Aviv to Kiev and Tel Aviv to Prague respectively.
The Ministry of Transport reported that the increase in the number of airlines operating scheduled passenger flights to and from Israel, became possible as a result of bilateral aviation talks that were held during the last three years with a number of countries."
“Aviation talks that were held recently with a number of countries allowed the Minister of Transport to appoint a second international Israeli carrier on routes to Paris, Barcelona, Rome, Milan and Berlin.”
