International airlines are clamoring to gain a share of the growing Israeli market, according to El Al director Yisrael Borovich. El Al's share of passenger traffic dropped by almost 10 percent to 37 percent in the second quarter of this year, following a similar drop in the previous year.

He noted that Delta, whose travel agreement with El Al ends on Wednesday, is launching a direct New York-Ben Gurion flight in addition to its flight from Atlanta to Israel. Delta official Andy Renner stated that the New York-Tel Aviv route is second only to London's Heathrow airport for New York flights with destinations over the Atlantic Ocean.