With a vision to ease air travel in the region, Saudi Arabia and Oman have announced their decision to allow direct Israeli overflights, opening up new air corridors and business avenues, notably for Israeli national carrier El Al.

Saudi Arabia and Oman announced that they have decided to allow direct Israeli civilian overflights. This move is anticipated to bring about significant regional development, as the new air corridor will reduce the travel time between flights from Israel to the Far East, allowing airlines to offer more direct and efficient routes.

According to a press statement, El Al’s decision to fly over Saudi Arabia and Oman en route to Thailand will cut down the flight time from Tel Aviv to Bangkok from about ten and a half hours to just eight. Further, this will open up new opportunities for the Israeli national carrier in the region. El Al is also anticipated to resume service on the pandemic-affected route to India, says the press statement.

“Israel has, in effect, become the main transit point between Asia and Europe. Israel is opening up to the East on an unprecedented scale,” says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The new air corridor over Saudi Arabia and Oman will be advantageous for the Israeli airline industry and is predicted to encourage expansion and innovation in the region’s aviation industry. The two-and-a-half-hour travel time decrease from Israel to the Far East will also result in shorter flights on Israeli airlines to countries like Australia, Sri Lanka, and India. There is a very good chance that this will boost tourism and business travel to and from Israel.

“This is a significant decision that will drive growth in the aviation sector by encouraging more airlines to expand their operations and enter the Israeli market. India’s airlines will be able to offer more competitive prices and reduce flying time to a five-hour direct flight, making it easier for passengers to travel. We are also working to improve direct flight connectivity from major hubs such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Goa, Kochi, and Delhi,” says Sammy Yahia, Director of Israeli Tourism.

It is not just El Al that stands to benefit from the agreement. Other Israeli airlines are also lining up plans to launch new flights thanks to the new rule. Low cost airline Arkia Airline is a low-cost Israeli carrier which is looking to expand its service to India and Sri Lanka. Arkia has expressed plans to reopen its routes to Goa and Cochin, which were shut down in 2019. Another Israeli carrier Israir has also expressed interest in starting a five-hour service from Israel to India.