Israeli national carrier El Al will resume direct flights from India to Tel Aviv later this year after a gap of over three years. El Al’s return was facilitated by a recent agreement between Israel, Saudi Arabia and Oman as the two Gulf nations removed the ban on overflights of Israeli airlines across their territory.

Israeli flag carrier El Al is set to resume non-stop flight services from Delhi and Mumbai to Israel from late October 2023, after a three-year break. According to a press statement issued by the Indian office of the Israeli Tourism Ministry, the overfly agreement with Saudi Arabia and Oman for Israeli airlines was recently finalised, allowing for a shorter flight duration of 5.5 hours for Mumbai and 6.5 hours for Delhi.

The statement adds that El Al will commence sale of flight tickets from April, with cheapest tickets starting at USD 399 for Lite tickets. The statement goes on to say that 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.

‘‘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 organized group vacation,” says Shlomi Zafrani, El Al’s Vice President of Commerce and International Affairs.

The statement adds that the Indian flag carrier Air India is scheduled to increase its frequencies from existing three flights per week to five flights per week from March 26. In addition, Air India will also start to operate direct flights on the sectors from Mumbai and Bengaluru by June and October respectively with competitive prices.

“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, January and February 2023 is 24 pc better than 2019,” says Sammy Yahia, Director of Israel Tourism in India and the Philippines.

“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,” adds Yahia.