TBM Staff - Mumbai Israel’s national carrier EL AL announced that it is all set to resume non-stop flight services from Delhi and Mumbai to Israel from late October 2023, after a break of three years. The overfly agreement with Saudi Arabia and Oman for Israeli airlines was recently finalized, allowing for a shorter flight duration of 5.5 hours for Mumbai and 6.5 hours for Delhi. The flight ticket sales starting in April 2023, starting at $399 for Lite tickets. EL AL will operate four non-stop weekly flights from Mumbai to Israel on the Boeing 737 with Economy and Business service classes, and two non-stop weekly flights to Delhi on either the Boeing 787 or 777, both wide-bodied aircraft.
Commenting on this, Shlomi Zafrani, VP, Commerce and International Affairs, EL AL, said, “ We are excited to launch these new flight routes from India to Israel, which were made possible thanks to the overfly agreement with Oman. We anticipate there will be high demand for these flights due to vast business activity between the two countries, as well as constant growth in Indian tourism to Israel. Israel is a beloved vacation destination to the Indian people, whether it is a family-oriented trip or an organised group vacation.”
Air India is scheduled to increase their frequencies from existing 3 daily flights per week to 5 daily flights per week from 26th March 2023. In addition, they will be starting to operate direct flights on the sectors from Mumbai and Bengaluru by June and Oct respectively with competitive prices.
According to Sammy Yahia, Director of tourism India and Philippines, “The new announcements from El Al and Air India will boost tourism from and to Israel. The new air corridor over Saudi Arabia and Oman is likely to stimulate growth in the aviation sector. The airlines from India will be able to offer more competitive prices and reduce the flying time to five hours direct flight making it easier for passengers to travel. The statistics speaks for themselves, Jan and Feb 2023 is 24% better than 2019”. Yahia also said that Israel is a country with a rich cultural, historical, and religious heritage, and is home to a variety of attractions that offer something for everyone. “Whether you are interested in history, culture, nature, or just looking for a unique experience, Israel is a destination that is sure to deliver,” he said.
