Latest news with #ElAl
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Argentina's rabbi-ambassador to Israel says El Al will launch direct flights to Buenos Aires
El Al will begin flying between Argentina and Israel, in both a powerful symbol of the countries' alliance and a practical boon for travelers like Rabbi Axel Wahnish. A canceled flight on his way to assume his new job might well have added urgency around one of Rabbi Axel Wahnish's first big breakthroughs asArgentina's ambassador to Israel: direct flights between Tel Aviv and Buenos Aires. Wahnish, the personal rabbi of Argentine President Javier Milei, was originally scheduled to depart from Buenos Aires on Aug. 14, 2024, to begin his tenure in Israel. But his Air Europa flight — which included a connection in Europe — was canceled due to a surge in tensions between Iran and Israel. As most commercial airlines scrapped their Tel Aviv routes amid the turmoil, only El Al, Israel's national carrier, and its subsidiaries reliably stayed in the air. Now, Wahnish has announced that El Al will begin flying between Argentina and Israel, in both a powerful symbol of the countries' alliance and a practical boon for travelers like him. El Al has not yet confirmed the flight, which Wahnish said on X would be formally announced next week, when Milei, a noted philosemite and Zionist, visits Israel for the second time. But Wahnish — the first rabbi ever to be appointed an ambassador to Israel — told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency back in August, when he was waiting to leave Buenos Aires, that he saw a direct flight as both a cause and a result of improved relations. 'It's a question similar to the debate about which came first, the chicken or the egg,' he said. 'As an ambassador, I plan to work on both fronts — collaborating with airlines to make the route, while also fostering commercial, cultural, artistic, sporting and educational exchanges.' Milei's three-day state visit is set to start on June 9 and to include meetings with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a speech before the Knesset, the acceptance ceremony for the Genesis Prize, a visit to the Western Wall and a meeting with relatives of the hostages taken during the October 7 attacks. Milei is the first non-Jew to be awarded the Genesis Prize. As part of the trip, Milei and Netanyahu will sign a 'Memorandum of Freedom and Democracy Against Terrorism, Antisemitism, and Discrimination.' The memorandum formalizes a major shift in Argentina's foreign policy following the election of Milei, a self-proclaimed 'anarcho-capitalist,' in 2023 after years of left-wing leadership. In 2013, Argentina signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran, and for much of the past two decades, the country maintained close ties with Iran and frequently criticized Israeli military actions. Under Milei, Argentina has pivoted toward a stronger alliance with Israel, openly supporting its right to self-defense and its war in Gaza. At times, Argentina has stood nearly alone among nations in supporting Israel, and Milei has not joined in as other allies of Israel, including with right-leaning leaders, have urged Netanyahu to end the war. 'It is a deep honor and a historic privilege to express our strong alliance against terror, standing close to the Israeli democracy that is defending itself from terrorists,' Wahnish said in the August interview. Wahnish told JTA that his rabbinic background is a bonus in his work as the ambassador — but not his main qualification. 'First and foremost, I'm an Argentine citizen, a human being. If someone has expertise in a particular area, whether as a physicist, engineer or any other skill, can that be a disadvantage? … No,' he said. 'The same applies to being a rabbi. I think it is a plus. I have an ethical and moral background, a philosophical knowledge, it is like an extra skill.' But he added, 'The strong alliance between our country and Israel is not rooted in religion. It's based on values of democracy and freedom.' At the time, he declined to say when Milei planned to fulfill his stated intention to relocate the Argentine embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move the United States made during President Donald Trump's first term in 2018. The embassy move has not been formalized, with conventional wisdom in Argentina being that Milei may be waiting until after midterm elections in October to follow through on his promise. But Wahnish appears to have succeeded in pressing forward on the direct flights, which he said on X in February were a 'dream of my administration.' At the time, he said he had advocated for the flights in a direct conversation with Netanyahu, in which they also discussed Milei's visit, the memorandum and the Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza, who include Argentine dual citizens. A direct flight between the two countries was previously announced in 2016, but it was never implemented. If the new El Al route becomes a reality, there is only one precedent — and it hardly offered a model of strong diplomatic relations. It was also not nonstop, on a route that is estimated to require 16 hours of flight time from Tel Aviv. On May 19, 1960, a special Israeli delegation arrived in Buenos Aires on an El Al flight to attend the 150th anniversary of Argentine independence. Their visit had a secondary purpose: The following day, the Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, whom Mossad agents had apprehended in Argentina, was disguised as a crew member and returned to Israel on the same plane. The aircraft stopped to refuel in Dakar, Senegal, and landed in Israel on May 22, where Eichmann was arrested. He was later convicted of crimes against humanity and hanged in 1962.
Yemen Online
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yemen Online
After Sanaa airport strike, Houthis say they'll start targeting Israeli civilian planes
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels plan on escalating their actions against Israel by targeting planes belonging to El Al and other Israeli civilian carriers, sources from the Yemeni rebel group told Lebanon's Al-Akhbar newspaper on Friday. Since March 18, when the IDF resumed its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis have launched 42 ballistic missiles and at least 10 drones at Israel. A May 4 missile impacted inside the grounds of Ben Gurion Airport, prompting most foreign carriers to suspend their flights to Israel and raising Israel's dependence on El Al and its other airlines. The IDF intercepted the latest Houthi missile on Thursday evening. The Houthis' new threat to target Israeli civilian airplanes comes after Israeli fighter jets bombed the Houthi-controlled Sanaa International Airport earlier this week, following weeks of near-daily ballistic missile attacks on Israel. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels plan on escalating their actions against Israel by targeting planes belonging to El Al and other Israeli civilian carriers, sources from the Yemeni rebel group told Lebanon's Al-Akhbar newspaper on Friday. Since March 18, when the IDF resumed its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis have launched 42 ballistic missiles and at least 10 drones at Israel. A May 4 missile impacted inside the grounds of Ben Gurion Airport, prompting most foreign carriers to suspend their flights to Israel and raising Israel's dependence on El Al and its other airlines. The IDF intercepted the latest Houthi missile on Thursday evening. The Houthis' new threat to target Israeli civilian airplanes comes after Israeli fighter jets bombed the Houthi-controlled Sanaa International Airport earlier this week, following weeks of near-daily ballistic missile attacks on Israel. The targeted plane was said by Defense Minister Israel Katz to be the last remaining plane operated by the Houthis, after six other aircraft were destroyed by an earlier Israeli strike.
Reuters
21-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Israeli carrier El Al profit rose in first-quarter on reduced competition
TEL AVIV, May 21 (Reuters) - El Al Israel Airlines ( opens new tab reported a 19% rise in quarterly profit as it continues to benefit from fewer carriers flying to Tel Aviv due to Israel's ongoing war with Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza and the Houthis in Yemen. Israel's flag carrier said on Wednesday it earned $96 million in the first quarter of 2025, up from $80.5 million a year earlier. Revenue grew 5% to $774 million. It cited a rise in its load factor to 94.3% from 92.6% as well as an increase in capacity due to an expansion of leased aircraft and a decline in jet fuel costs.
Miami Herald
20-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Why El Al is making changes to flights from Fort Lauderdale and Miami
Two years after El Al began year-round flights to Israel from Fort Lauderdale, the airline is pulling out of the Broward County airport. Broward travelers who want to reach the religious sites, visit family or do business with tech companies in Israel will have to use Miami International Airport. Israel's state-owned airline says it's making changes to help focus business growth around the 305. Starting this fall, El Al Israel Airlines will shift the two weekly flights it now operates between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport to Miami International Airport. The changes will be gradual. The first goes into effect in late October 2025. The second will take place on April 15, 2026, the airline said. At that point, 'El Al will cease operations at Fort Lauderdale and will concentrate all Florida-bound flights in Miami,' Simon Newton-Smith, El Al's vice president for the Americas, said in a statement sent to the Miami Herald. The blog DansDeals first reported the move from FLL to MIA. El Al will then operate seven weekly flights between Tel Aviv and MIA — although, as customary, it won't operate on the Jewish Sabbath, sundown Friday through sundown Saturday. The flights between Tel Aviv and FLL, Florida's third largest airport, started on April 15, 2024. Broward airport officials didn't respond to an email from the Miami Herald on Monday requesting comment and more information. El Al growth tied to MIA El Al said a main factor for the change: It wants a larger runway. 'The decision follows a comprehensive review of operational conditions at Fort Lauderdale, including seasonal limitations and the growing passenger traffic in the Miami area,' Newton-Smith said. El Al flies mostly Boeing Dreamliners for international trips and has a mix of 787-9s and 787-8s, according to its website. But the airline would like to use more 787-9s to carry more people and haul more goods, as it typically does at the Miami airport. Cargo is a lucrative market. 'We are moving flights back to MIA so we can utilize larger aircraft to service more passengers and cargo,' the airline executive said. 'The company's plan is to grow the South Florida market and the longer runway will give us that capability.' The changes are also to consolidate personnel and equipment in one place. El Al said focusing on MIA will also broaden its reach across the U.S. as well as Latin America and the Caribbean. The airline has an agreement with Delta Air Lines where each can sell tickets for the other. Delta has a partnership with Chilean airlines LATAM that permits fliers on one carrier to earn and use frequent flier miles on the other. Cargo market, Latin American connection at Miami airport In 2023, LATAM began cargo routes between Miami and Brasilia and increased its Miami-Florianópolis service from two to three weekly flights. It's betting big on the Magic City. 'Our biggest cargo market is Miami,' said Martin St. George, chief commercial officer for LATAM, during an interview in 2023 with the Herald. DHL Express and Avianca also have large cargo operations at MIA. In 2024, MIA set a new record for cargo, receiving over 3 million tons, more than 8% higher than 2023, the fifth consecutive year it notched an increase. That included the vast majority of fresh-cut flowers the U.S. imports for Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. El Al also has partnerships with Aeromexico and Aerolineas Argentinas. So, Newton-Smith said focusing on MIA would significantly expand its destination options across North and South America. Most airlines from the United States canceled flights to and from Israel after the October 2023 attacks by Hamas, a group the United States classifies as terrorist organization, which murdered over a thousand people and took hundreds hostage. The largest cruise companies suspended stops at Israeli ports. El Al, however, continued to fly to and from Miami and other U.S. airports. El Al also has nonstop flights to Israel from Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport and Boston's Logan International Airport.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Flights again halted to Israel after Houthi missile lands near airport
By Steven Scheer JERUSALEM (Reuters) -European and U.S. carriers cancelled flights for the next several days after a missile fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels on Sunday landed near Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, the country's main international travel gateway. Many foreign airlines subsequently suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv after the missile hit, sending a plume of smoke into the air and causing panic among passengers in the terminal building. Following a ceasefire deal with Palestinian militant group Hamas in January, foreign carriers had begun to resume flights to Israel after halting them for much of the last year and a half since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack. That left flag carrier El Al Airlines - along with smaller rivals Arkia and Israir - with a near monopoly. El Al's shares rose 7%, while Israir gained 4.1% in a flat broader Tel Aviv market on Sunday. Delta Air Lines said it cancelled Sunday's flight from JFK in New York to Tel Aviv and the return flight from Tel Aviv on Monday. United cancelled its twice daily flights between Tel Aviv and Newark while it monitors the situation. Earlier, flights from Tel Aviv on Delta and United on Sunday morning departed about 90 minutes late. Lufthansa Group, which includes Lufthansa, Swiss, Brussels and Austrian, said it had halted flights to and from Tel Aviv through Tuesday due to the current situation. ITA said it had cancelled flights from Italy to Israel through Wednesday, while Air France cancelled flights on Sunday, saying customers were transferred to flights on Monday. TUS flights to and from Cyprus were cancelled through Monday, while Air India flights from New Delhi were halted on Sunday. Ryanair suspended flights on Sunday but flights are still scheduled for Monday, according to the Israel Airports Authority. Wizz also halted flights. "I'm afraid it's going to be very difficult to go back to France because all European carriers, from what I see on the information (board), have cancelled. Lufthansa have cancelled, Swiss have cancelled, Brussels (Airlines), so no connection is possible," said Michael Sceemes, 56, whose Air France flight was cancelled. Aegean, flydubai and Ethiopian did not cancel flights. El Al said it would reintroduce rescue flights to Israel from Larnaca and Athens for passengers stranded by foreign carriers at a cost of $99 and $149, respectively. Udi Bar Oz, head of Ben Gurion Airport, said the airport was up and running less than 30 minutes after the missile hit a road nearby. Claiming responsibility for the strike, the Houthis' military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said Israel's main airport was "no longer safe for air travel". The Houthis, who control swathes of Yemen, began targeting Israel and Red Sea shipping in late 2023, during the early days of the war between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip. U.S. President Donald Trump in March ordered large-scale strikes against the Houthis to deter them from targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to respond to the Houthis. "We attacked in the past, we will attack in the future ... There will be more blows," he said.
