Israir CEO Uri Sirkis has been summoned to a “hearing" in Jerusalem before a committee of senior haredi figures, amid pressure to halt the airline’s Shabbat flights.
According to Channel 12 News, the meeting is intended to pressure the company into ending operations on the Shabbat, with threats of a broad haredi consumer boycott if the status quo continues.
Travel is forbidden on Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath which begins Friday evening and ends Saturday at nightfall.
Currently, Israir and Arkia are the only Israeli airlines operating flights on Shabbat, unlike El Al, which has avoided Shabbat flights for years.
For Israir, this represents a significant market segment, including the operation of flights using leased aircraft even during the Sabbath and holidays.
The development is seen as highly significant for Israel’s aviation industry, since if Israir yields to the pressure, Arkia would remain the only Israeli airline flying on Shabbat.
The identity of Israir’s owner, businessman Rami Levy, is considered especially relevant due to his strong ties to the haredi consumer market through his supermarket chains.