Travelore News: El Al To Add Nine Additional Destinations, Several Int'l Airlines To Resume Ben-Gurion Flights

El Al will resume flights to Boston, London Luton, Tivat (Montenegro), Krakow (Poland), Marseille (France), Sofia (Bulgaria), Paphos (Cyprus), Rhodes, and Thessaloniki (both in Greece).

El Al will resume flights to nine additional destinations, the airline announced on its official social media.

The new destinations are Boston, London Luton, Tivat (Montenegro), Krakow (Poland), Marseille (France), Sofia (Bulgaria), Paphos (Cyprus), Rhodes, and Thessaloniki (both in Greece).

This will bring the total number of destinations El Al flies to approximately 40, the airline stated.

For other destinations, where flight operations have not yet been resumed, customers will be proactively contacted in order to check whether they still intend to fly, the airline stated.

Foreign airlines, including TUS, Etihad, to resume flights this week, IAI announces

Meanwhile, several foreign airlines will resume flight operations to and from Ben-Gurion Airport this week, the Israel Airports Authority announced/

Bulgarian charter airline ALK Airlines, also known by the flight code VBB, resumed flight operations on Sunday with a daily flight on behalf of Greek-registered, Israeli-owned airline Bluebird Airways.

TUS Airways, headquartered in Larnaca, Cyprus, will resume flights on Tuesday, IAI said.

Abu Dhabi's national flag carrier Etihad Airways and Ethiopian Airlines will resume operations on Wednesday.

China's Hainan Airlines will resume flights on Thursday, while Moscow-based Red Wings Airlines, Georgian Airways, and Moldova's FlyOne will resume flights on Friday.

Arrangements are taking place for additional airlines, including the low-cost FlyDubai, to resume flights this week.

"We are working very hard to expand air activity and return the aviation industry to full operations," Transportation Minister Miri Regev said.

"The return of foreign airlines will allow the Israeli public to fly to a wider variety of destinations, and we will continue to work to increase the supply of flights and the variety of destinations," she added.

"The return of foreign airlines reflects confidence in the Israeli aviation system and its ability to cope even in complex times," IAI Chairman Yiftach Ron Tal said.

https://www.jpost.com/author/james-genn

Travelore News: Israel And Morocco Set To Resume Direct Flights

Some 200,000 Israelis flocked to the North African country in 2022, many on “roots trips.”

The Jemaa el-Fnaa square and market place in the Medina quarter (Old City) of Marrakech, Morocco, Oct. 19, 2013. Photo by Boris Macek via Wikimedia Commons.

Jerusalem and Rabat are working to renew direct flights between their respective countries in the wake of last month’s ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza, the Israeli Transport Ministry said on Sunday.

The move highlights the resurgence of the Israeli aviation sector and the re-emergence of Tel Aviv as an international travel hub.

Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev has spoken with her Moroccan counterpart, Minister of Transport and Logistics Abdessamad Kayouh, and the two agreed to work toward the resumption of the flights, an Israeli Transport Ministry spokeswoman told JNS.

The flights on Israel’s national carrier El Al are expected to be restarted in the coming months.

Israel and Morocco, which for decades had maintained covert cooperation in the defense and intelligence sphere, formalized relations as part of the 2020 Abraham Accords that saw four Arab countries make peace with Israel under the first Trump administration.

Flights between the two countries were suspended two years ago after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that triggered the war in Gaza.

After Oct. 7, the Israeli National Security Council advised against nonessential travel to Morocco, a travel warning that is now expected to be lowered, enabling the resumption of flights.

“Before the outbreak of the war, Morocco was a very popular destination for Israelis, and the flights were full,” Yoni Waxman, deputy chairman of Israel’s Ophir Tours, told JNS on Sunday. “Israeli passengers are thirsty to return and explore Morocco, and it is just a question of time until it happens.”

An estimated million Jews of Moroccan descent live in Israel (including Israel’s transport minister); 200,000 Israelis flocked to Morocco in 2022, many on “roots trips.”

“Israelis really love Morocco,” said Shirley Cohen Orkaby, vice president for marketing at Israel’s Eshet Tours, who recently visited the North African country and was warmly received. “I expect very high demand the moment flights open up.”

https://www.jns.org/

These Are The Airlines Returning To Israel - And Those That Are Not

Many airlines froze their routes to Israel because of the war with Hamas, but are now finding their way back to the Holy Land.

More and more airlines that have frozen their routes to and from Israel are bringing their activities out from hibernation in the last month, and announcing to the Israeli passenger - we are here.

Many airlines announced the return of operations to Israel - here is what to expect and who you can fly with.

Airlines that fly to Israel currently, and where they fly:

El Al (including Sun Dor): Amsterdam, Athens, Budapest, Boston, Bucharest, Bangkok, Berlin, Barcelona, ​​Dubai, Vienna, Venice, Warsaw, Geneva, Tbilisi, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Lisbon, Larnaca, Madrid, Moscow, Miami, Milan, Munich, Marseille, New York, Sofia, Thessaloniki, Phuket, Prague, Paris, Frankfurt, Zurich, Chisinau, Krakow, Rome

Israir: Athens, Budapest, Bucharest, Batumi, Dubai, Varna, Tbilisi, Larnaca, Sofia, Prague, Chisinau.

Arkia: Athens, Budapest, Bucharest, Grenoble Batumi, Belgrade, Barcelona, ​​Grenoble, Larnaca, Milan, PragueFrom February: Sri Lanka, Amsterdam

Aegean Airlines: Athens

An El Al flight landed in Melbourne, Australia for the first time in April 2020. (credit: Walla)

Uzbekistan Airlines: Tashkent

Austrian Airlines: Vienna

Air France: Paris

Ethiopian Airlines: Addis Ababa

Etihad Airways: Abu Dhabi

High Sky: Chisinau

Hainan Airlines: Shenzhen

TAROM: Bucharest

Fly (TUS): Larnaca

Lot: Warsaw

Lufthansa: Munich and Frankfurt

Swiss: Zurich

Fly Dubai: Dubai

Airlines that announced that they are returning to fly to Israel in February:

Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) from 2.8 to Baku

View of a ''Wizz Air'' flight, a Hungarian low-cost airline, taking off from Ben-Gurion Airport. September 03, 2014. (credit: MOSHE SHAI/FLASH90)

Air Seychelles: from 2.6 to Seychelles

Air Europa: from 2.22 to Madrid

Emirates: from 2.1 to Dubai

Blue Bird: from 2.1 to Athens

Georgian Airways: From 2.17 to Tbilisi

Transavia: from 2.1 to Paris

Smart Wings: from 2.1 to Prague

Airlines returning to fly to Israel in March

Iberia: from 3.1 to Madrid

EasyJet: from 3.1

Air India: from 3.1 to Mumbai

Eurowings: from 3.21 to Dusseldorf

American Airlines: from 3.21 to New York

Brussels Airlines: from 3.1 to Brussels

Gulf Air: from 3.30 to Manama, Bahrain

Wizz Air: from 3.1 to Budapest, Bucharest, Sofia, London, Krakow, Rome

United Airlines: from 3.2 to New York
KLM: from 3.1 to Amsterdam

Pegasus Airlines: from 3.1 to various destinations in Turkey

Finnair: from 3.30 to Helsinki

Cathay Pacific: from 3.28 to Hong Kong

Royal Air from Morocco: from 3.1 to Marrakesh

ITA: from 3.1 to Rome

Airlines returning to Israel in April

Air Baltic: from 4.1 to Riga

Air Canada: from 4.8 to Toronto

Emirates: from 4.1 to Dubai

Bulgaria Air: from 4.8 to Sofia

British Airways: from 4.1 to London

Delta Airlines: from 4.1 to New York

Virgin Atlantic: from 4.1 to London

Cyprus Airways: from 4.2 to Larnaca

Other extreme delays in returning to Israel

Air Malta, Air Serbia, and Norwegian Air will not return to Israel until further notice.

TAP, Turkish Airlines, and Royal Jordanian will not return to Israel until at least January 2025.

Korean Air: from 4.30 to Seoul

Vueling: from 3.2 to Barcelona

By WALLA! TOURISM

Coolest First-Class Amenities In Flight

Courtesy of Cathay Pacific

From “holy water” skin fresheners to embroidered pjs, some airlines have perfected the art of coddling passengers.

Contributed by Katrina Brown Hunt,www.travelandleasure.com 

Ana Silva O’Reilly gets almost misty-eyed when she thinks about a souvenir from her trip to New York several years ago: an Anya Hindmarch bag, featuring a black-and-white photo of London Bridge, which she received while flying first class on British Airways.

“There was something special about the bags,” says the U.K.-based luxury-travelblogger. “They were quite exclusive but, more than anything, very usable. To this day, you see quite a few on security queues—and people smile at each other.”

• 
  

Even for travelers who embrace all manner of egalitarianism on the ground, it’s hard to argue with the VIP treatment you get while riding in business or first class on long-haul flights. Of course, there’s the legroom and the increasing number of flatbed seats. But for some passengers, the little creature comforts that many airlines offer—like a set of cozy loungewear, or a live orchid blooming over your seat—elevate the front-of-plane experience. “Although it’s not the main reason why I select which premium class I fly to a particular destination,” admits Brian Kelly, founder of frequent-flyer site ThePointsGuy, “a great amenity kit can definitely make a difference to the in-flight experience.”

The airlines are paying attention. According to the International Air Transport Association, “upper-class passengers” account for about a third of airline revenues, even though they occupy a small piece of the plane’s real estate.

When we looked around the world, we found several airlines (most, strikingly, based outside the U.S.) that butter up their first-class passengers with high-end goodie bags and instant-souvenir embroidered pajamas, along with fabulous front-of-the-cabin perks (hot shower before landing, anyone?) that can mitigate even the worst case of jet lag.

Almost maddeningly, too, those perks are not always easily re-created on the ground. Those BA amenity kits, for instance, have an “amazing lip balm that you can’t buy anywhere yet,” says O’Reilly. “I have asked the brand and was told that I would have to fly BA First again—and I could be tempted.”

Courtesy of Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand

Any airline that uses characters from The Hobbit for its safety video clearly doesn’t feel the need to embrace pretension. Perhaps that’s why the amenity kit in Air New Zealand’s Business Premier Class (the airline doesn’t even offer a first class) is a nice blend of luxe and quirky. You get Clarins skin-care products, a pair of hipsterish striped socks and eye masks with cheeky messages—such as “Beware I Sleep Walk”—written across the front.airnewzealand.com

Courtesy of British Airways

British Airways

The former home of the Concorde has inspired a loyal following for its high-tone, cool-Britannia amenity kits. The centerpiece these days is a Gladstone-style bag by Sloane Street retailer Anya Hindmarch—marked with BA’s traditional seal—filled with eye gel, lip balm and moisturizer by all-natural skin-care maker Ren, and accented with a toothbrush set by D. R. Harris (a company that dates back to Victorian times). britishairways.com

Courtesy of Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific

On this Hong Kong–based airline, men get a dash of Milan style with a bag by Ermenegildo Zegna filled with Acca Kappa toiletries, while ladies receive a clutch by Trussardi (once the bag maker to the British royal family) stocked with products from Australian brand Aesop. Everyone, meanwhile, can channel some classic Oriental style in the airline’s heather-shaded sleep suits, featuring a traditional mandarin collar, made by Hong Kong designer PYE. (Coordinate with matching sleep masks and slippers.) To boost the good feng shui, first-class cabins even feature wall-mounted vases with fresh orchids. cathaypacific.com

Courtesy of Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines

Thanks to the recently refreshed BusinessElite class, Delta is one of two U.S.-based airlines to make our list. Its anti-ballistic Tumi amenity bag features a Tumi eye mask as well as lotion and lip balm by sensitive-skin-friendly New York apothecary Malin+Goetz. The kit also comes with such essentials as socks, a comb, a dental kit and, for the traveling germaphobe, antibacterial wipes. delta.com

Courtesy of EL AL

El Al

Israel’s national airline goes Italiano for its gender-specific first-class bags by Salvatore Ferragamo. The luxury brand’s goodies are inside too: Ladies receive hand cream, body lotion, facial mist and face cream, while men get shaving gel, aftershave, lip balm and their own refreshing mist. First-class passengers also receive generous perks on the ground such as complimentary chauffeur service from your house to the airport and, once at your destination, from the airport to your hotel (within 62 miles). elal.co.il

Courtesy of Etihad

Etihad Airways

The national airline of the United Arab Emirates offers first-class amenity bags so personal that they almost seem like bride-and-groom gifts. Gentlemen are presented with a leather cuff-link box, while ladies get a Swarovski crystal–studded clutch—and both include lotions and toiletries from Swiss-made La Prairie. The flat beds are topped with glossy, dupioni-silk-and-cotton duvets, and you can slip into your cozies in the luxury changing room, which has a full-length mirror. There’s also no need to push the flight-attendant call button when you’re parched: First-class suites come with their own mini-bars. etihad.com

JetBlue

JetBlue

JetBlue’s new Premium service, called Mint—on flights between New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, starting June 2014—promises seriously Gotham City–style perks at the front of the plane. Passengers will get tapas and specialty cocktails created by NoHo bar and grill Saxon + Parole, as well as an amenity kit with a rotating selection of toiletries from Birchbox, a NYC-based company known for its luxe travel-size goodies, such as Cartier deodorant, eucalyptus towelettes and even Italian-made “strong mint” Marvis toothpaste (which also used to be a staple of the esteemed BA amenity kit). jetblue.com

SWISS

Swiss International Airlines

You’ll feel like a native in first class with your medley of Swiss-made products: eye cream, hand cream and lip balm by La Prairie; reusable earplugs by Phonak; and navy-blue, polo-collar cotton pajamas by legendary underwear-maker Zimmerli. A spokesperson for Swiss also says that flight attendants take notes on your druthers. If, say, you request a medium pj top combined with a small size of pants during your flight, they’ll keep that information on file for your next trip. In keeping with Switzerland’s model of diplomatic neutrality, first-class passengers also get an adjustable wall for privacy.swiss.com

Courtesy of Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines

The Asian airline dazzles its first-class passengers with top-drawer Parisian brand names. On flights to and from the U.S., the toiletry kit is stocked with lotion, facial cream and lip balm by Sothys. Come bedtime, you get turndown service at your flat bed with Givenchy-made linens, a duvet and even zippered Givenchy pajamas. To shut out any racket while you watch your movie, you can use anti-noise headsets by Phitek.

Looking for even more creature comforts? On the airline’s A380 flights, you can book a suite with a true flat bed—not just a seat that folds out. Couples can even opt for middle cabin suites with double beds (two twins pushed together). singaporeair.com

Courtesy of Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines

Like many airlines, Turkish offers slightly different amenity kits in business and first class. First-class passengers these days are given a Porsche Design hard case filled with Acca Kappa toiletries—fabulous, no doubt, but business class is no downgrade. The toiletries are by old-school Crabtree & Evelyn, while the 21st-century bag, not so coincidentally, perfectly fits your iPad. Turkish Airlines also distinguishes itself by offering a hajj amenity kit for pilgrims (riding in any class) en route to Mecca. The bag includes a prayer mat, prayer counter, hip bag, unscented liquid soap and fresh socks.turkishairlines.com

Courtesy of Qantas

Qantas

The Australian airline’s his-and-her kits offer skin care by über-luxe global brand SK-II; dedicated users have described the facial essence treatment ($100 for 2.5 oz.) as “holy water.” For a little down-under protection, Qantas bags also include Rexona deodorant (the Aussie cousin of Degree). Come bedtime, first-class passengers can put on cotton-jersey pjs in charcoal gray, featuring an embroidered kangaroo. qantas.com.au

Emirates

Emirates

The Dubai-based airline was already worthy of the first-class big leagues thanks to its Bulgari amenity bags: Men score aftershave and cologne, and a razor from Taylor of Old Bond Street, based in London, while ladies get Bulgari face lotion, nourishing hand cream and Thé Rouge eau parfumée. But the airline put itself in a different stratosphere with one addition to its double-decker A380 (which flies to 21 cities, including Rome, Moscow, Hong Kong and Auckland, New Zealand). The plane has an onboard hot shower stocked with fluffy towels. The only hitch? You’re limited to a five-minute soak.emirates.com