Passengers flying on El Al Airlines will be able to expand their horizons in the U.S., South America and the Caribbean, beginning October 1, due to a new deal the airline has signed with JetBlue Airways Corporation.
The agreement, signed in New York this week, will enable passengers flying to and from Israel on El Al to connect with any JetBlue destination using one e-ticket.
El Al passengers will receive boarding passes to their final destinations upon check-in on the day of travel, and luggage will be checked through for the entire journey. Luggage requirements will be consistent for both airlines, and will be based on the El Al allowances at no extra charge.
“We are indeed proud to be a partner with JetBlue, a successful and respected airline,” said El Al President and CEO Eliezer Skedy at the signing ceremony. “In international aviation circles, El Al has a reputation of being a uniquely qualified airline that is the leader between Israel and the outside world. JetBlue is also a leading airline out of JFK, for routes within the USA, Latin America and the Caribbean.”
JetBlue President and CEO David Barger said his airline was also looking forward to the new relationship. “We celebrate our partnership with El Al, a leading international carrier at JFK. As New York's hometown airline and the largest domestic carrier at JFK, we at JetBlue look forward to providing seamless connections for El Al customers.”
Headquartered in Queens, New York City, the low-cost airline first began operations in February 2000, and was one of the few U.S. airlines to make a profit during the drop in airline travel that followed the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon by the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization in 2001.