Israir Airlines marked a milestone in its development on Friday with the landing at Ben Gurion Airport of the first Airbus A330 aircraft in the company’s ownership.
The aircraft arrived from the United States with an Israir crew, led by Captain Joel Ben Peretz and Captain Amir Weingarten.
This is the first of two wide-body aircraft the company purchased in a deal worth approximately $85 million. The second plane is expected to join the fleet at the beginning of the week, and their arrival symbolizes Israir’s entry into the era of long-haul flights ahead of the launch of the direct New York route at the beginning of August.
The new aircraft include three service classes-Business, Premium and Tourists-alongside a culinary menu tailored for long-haul flights. Ahead of their entry into service, the company will complete training programs for maintenance, air, ground and service teams, and in July the aircraft will also be integrated into flights to leading destinations in Europe.
With the addition of the two wide-body aircraft, Israir will operate a fleet of 18 planes during the summer, owned and leased, with the aim of expanding its activity and increasing its ability to meet demand. At the same time, the company is expected to soon begin ticket sales for the New York route and launch a joint credit card club with Rami Levi and Isracard, allowing customers to accumulate dollars for use on flights and vacation packages.
Israir CEO Uri Sirkis said, "The landing of the first Airbus A330 aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport is a defining moment for Israir and for the aviation industry in Israel. Completing the purchase deal and bringing the aircraft to our ownership, together with the completion of the dedicated trainings of our air, ground and maintenance crews, positions us for a new competitive launch. We are proud to bring the Israeli consumer an aviation product with teams that speak Hebrew that will truly transform the route to North America - both in terms of service, operational reliability and value for money."
"This is one of the most significant moves in Israir’s history. This is a strategic step that connects Israel to one of the world’s most important hubs and marks the beginning of a new chapter in the company’s development. New York is only the start-we will continue investing in our aircraft fleet, in technology, in service and in opening new destinations, with a commitment to provide our customers with an Israeli, advanced and high-quality flying experience".