US DOT: Allow US Airlines To Operate Rescue Flights To Israel; El Al Adds More Rescue Flights

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Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport has been closed since January 26th and remains closed through at least February 21st.

El Al has been operating rescue flights to JFK and Dubai. Israelis need special permission, which is granted in extenuating circumstances only, in order to board those flights. Foreign nationals can leave Israel without needing special permission.

Passport News reports that additional El Al flights are planned for JFK to Tel Aviv on February 15, 17, and 20. Flights are planned for Tel Aviv to JFK on February 13, 15, and 18. Those flights go on sale at 10am EST on El Al’s site or via travel agents and the rescue flights have been selling out very quickly. Seats are $600 one-way or you can switch from a cancelled flight to one of these flights via El Al’s WhatsApp line (+972-3-977-1111).

Unsurprisingly, Delta and United are very unhappy with this arrangement as they are locked out of the rescue market. They have petitioned to the DOT to get involved in the dispute.

The US DOT has now filed an official complaint with Israel’s foreign ministry and transportation ministry over US airlines being locked out of the market while El Al is allowed to operate rescue flights.

The bilateral agreement between the countries ensures equal access to US and Israeli airlines, except in cases of emergency.

The US DOT’s position is that a year into the COVID pandemic, this is not a time of emergency, while Israel says this is a time of emergency-hence the airport closure.

I’m going to guess that we’ll see US airlines being granted permission to operate their own rescue flights soon enough. The last thing Prime Minister Netanyahu wants before an election is an international incident with the US DOT banning El Al from flying to the US.

HT: PlatinumGuy, via DDF

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11 Comments On "US DOT: Allow US Airlines To Operate Rescue Flights To Israel; El Al Adds More Rescue Flights"

All opinions expressed below are user generated and the opinions aren’t provided, reviewed or endorsed by any advertiser or DansDeals.

Tavster

My 2 cents: Israel government said that they can only have 600 incoming pax daily altogether, due to capacity constraints at motels.

So my guess is that UA and DL get approval, the number of permits issued will be very limited

The motels are irrelevant now

It’s all politics at this point

Tavster

It’s been politics all along.

reb yid

“El Al has been operating rescue flights to JFK and Dubai. Israelis need special permission, which is granted in extenuating circumstances only, in order to board those flights. ”
What extenuating circumstance would an Israel be in which would necessitate him going to Dubai?

shay

People got stuck there before when it was allowed to go there.

joel

after united being the only one to faithfully serve israel throughout the pandemic, i think its a stab in the back to give elal the rescue flights…..

chaim

if they are selling out very quickly i am surprised that the price is only 600 they could easily get much more

NTorch

I noticed on the Delta site that flights from JFK-TLV are cancelled through 2/16, but the remaining scheduled flights during the airport closure period, starting with the 2/17 flight are listed as on time.

.....

Can a foreign citizen without a US passport enter the US, coming from Israel?

dyb

foreigners can enter the us ,but americans with minors that need in person passport renewals cannot.the us embassy in israel will only give appointments for life and death emergencys .there is an essential travel ban on minor americans

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