1948 May 14. State of Israel declares its independence.
1948 August 18. State of Israel decides to establish a national airline.
1948 September 29-30. First Israeli-registered civil aircraft, 4X-ACA, a Douglas C-54 (DC-4) borrowed from the Israel Air Force and painted with the name ‘EL AL’, brings Chaim Weizmann from Geneva, Switzerland, to Israel to be sworn in as Israel’s first President.
1948 October. First Israeli landing rights obtained abroad (in France). Nonscheduled special flights made to Paris with Curtiss C-46 Commando aircraft borrowed from the Israel Air Force..
1948 November 15. EL AL is incorporated, with its shareholders being the Israeli Government and Jewish-owned organizations in Israel.
1948 December 15. Start of Operation Magic Carpet, airlift of Yemenite Jews to Israel in which EL AL and its personnel participate.
1949 February 26 and March 15. EL AL purchases its first two aircraft, Douglas DC-4s registered in Israel as 4X-ACD and 4X-ACC respectively, from American Airlines.
1949 July 14. State of Israel issues to EL AL a formal Certificate to Commence Business.
1949 July 31. First EL AL scheduled flight, Tel Aviv to Paris (DC-4, 4X-ACD).
1949 August 16-17. Special flight to bring body of Theodor Herzl, founder of political Zionism, from Vienna, Austria, to Israel for reburial (Tel Aviv-Vienna-Tel Aviv, DC-4, 4X-ACD).
1949 December 18. First scheduled service to Rome, Italy, and Zurich, Switzerland (DC-4, 4X-ACD).
1949 December 22. First scheduled service to London (Tel Aviv-Rome-London); DC-4, 4X-ACC).
1949, late. Arkia Israeli Airlines formed, with 50% EL AL ownership, to provide domestic Israeii service between Tel Aviv and Eilat.
1950 January 24. First three Curtiss C-46 Commando aircraft registered in name of EL AL.
1950 January 26. Freight operations between Israel and several European cities launched with C-46s.
1950 February 6. DC-4, 4X-ACD, lost in a crash on take-off at Lod Airport. No serious injuries.
1950 May. Start of Operation Ezra and Nehemiah, airlift of Iraqi Jews to Israel.
1950 June 18. First trans-Atlantic passenger charter flight (Tel Aviv-Rome-Paris-Shannon-Gander-New York (DC-4s, 4X-ADB and ADC).
1950 July 5. First scheduled service to Vienna.
1950 Fall. Universal Airways acquired, a South African airline that conducted Johannesburg-Tel Aviv DC-3 service.
1950 October 29. First service to Johannesburg (Palmietfontein Airport), South Africa, with DC-4, 4X-ACC (via Khartoum, Sudan; Nairobi, Kenya; and Livingstone, Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia)).
1950 December 22. First EL AL Lockheed Constellation, a model 49 (4X-AKB), arrives in Israel. The Constellation becomes the first pressurized aircraft in EL AL’s fleet.
1951, early. First scheduled service to Athens, Greece, and Nicosia, Cyprus.
1951 March 1. First scheduled service to Istanbul, Turkey (via Nicosia), with DC-3, 4X-ATA.
1951 April 29. First scheduled service to New York (Tel Aviv-Athens-London-Shannon-New York; Lockheed Constellation 4X-AKA). EL AL thereby becomes the first airline outside of Europe and North America to operate scheduled trans-Atlantic service.
1951 November 24. DC-4, 4X-ADB, on an all-cargo flight, crashes on approach to Zurich, killing six of the seven crew members.
1952 April. Last DC-4 leaves EL AL fleet.
1955 June 22. EL AL becomes the first non-British airline to place a firm order for the turbo propeller Britannia aircraft being built by England’s Bristol Aeroplane Company.
1955 July 27. Constellation 4X-AKC shot down by Bulgarian MiGs over Bulgaria near Greek border, with no survivors.
1956 January. Last C-46 leaves EL AL fleet.
1956 March 5. First scheduled service to Amsterdam, The Netherlands (Constellation).
1956 March 8. First scheduled service to Brussels, Belgium (Constellation).
1956 October 29. Sinai War. Only EL AL maintains commercial air links between Israel and the world.
1956 November. Efraim Ben-Arzi becomes president of EL AL, replacing Aryeh Pincus.
1957 September 5. EL AL receives delivery of its first turboprop Britannia aircraft, 4X-AGA.
1957 December 8. An EL AL Britannia, on a proving flight from New York to London, sets a new speed record of 8hr 3min.
1957 December 18-19. EL AL’s Britannia 4X-AGC, on a proving flight, flies nonstop New York to Tel Aviv, 9,270km (5,760mi) — a new record for flight distance by a commercial airliner — with a flight time of 14hr 46min at an average speed of 645km/h (401mph).
1957 December 22. First EL AL Britannia scheduled service (Tel Aviv-London-New York); 4X-AGB).
1958 January 8. An EL AL Britannia, on a scheduled flight from New York to London, sets a new speed record of 7hr 44min.
1957 February 24. First scheduled service to West Germany (Cologne).
1957 March 25. First scheduled service to Munich, West Germany.
1959. EL AL introduces world’s first in-flight trans-oceanic international telephone service.
1959 August. First scheduled service to Teheran, Iran (discontinued 10 February 1979).
1960 May 19-20. EL AL assists in the capture of notorious Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, transporting him from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Tel Aviv in Britannia 4X-AGD.
1961 January 8. First Boeing 707 jet service between Tel Aviv and New York, with an aircraft leased from Varig.
1961 May 7. EL AL takes delivery of its first purchased 707, 4X-ATA, an intercontinental Dash 400 model..
1961 June 15. On the return segment of EL AL’s maiden scheduled flight of 707 4X-ATA, EL AL establishes three world records: (1) fastest flight from New York to Tel Aviv, 9hr 33min; (2) first nonstop scheduled service between New York and Tel Aviv; and (3) world’s longest scheduled nonstop commercial flight (9,270km/5,760mi).
1961 October 15. Last Constellation retired from service.
1962. EL AL’s 13th (Bar Mitzvah) year. Carries one millionth passenger.
1962 March 26. First Boeing 720B (4X-ABA) joins the fleet.
1962 June 11. First scheduled service to Frankfurt, West Germany.
1964 June 30. First scheduled service to Rhodes, Greece.
1964 October 11. First scheduled service to Copenhagen, Denmark.
1967 February. Last Britannia (4X-AGC) sold. EL AL becomes an all pure-jet airline, first in the Middle East.
1967 May-June. Operations disrupted by emergency preparations to meet Egypt’s threats of war and then by the Six Day War of 5-10 June. EL AL becomes the only carrier linking Israel to the outside world.
1967, summer. Mordechai Ben-Ari becomes president of EL AL.
1968 20th Anniversary Year.
1968 April 1. First scheduled service to Geneva, Switzerland.
1968 April 5. First scheduled service to Nice, France.
1968 May 7. First scheduled service to Romania (initially to Constanta, switched soon to Bucharest).
1968 July 22. EL AL’s 707 4X-ATA is skyjacked by PFLP terrorists and diverted to Algeria. After confinement, passengers, crew and aircraft are eventually released.
1968 December 26. Terrorist attack on EL AL’s 707, 4X-ATR, on the ground in Athens, Greece.
1969 February 18. Terrorist attack on EL AL’s 720B, 4X-ABB, on taxiway at Zurich.
1969 May 15. First Boeing 707-320C convertible passenger/cargo aircraft acquired, 4X-ATX.
1970 April. First scheduled service to Addis Ababa (discontinued in late 1973).
1970 September 6. Attempted (but unsuccessful) skyjack of 707 4X-ATB by Khaled and others, and simultaneous skyjackings of Pan Am, Swissair and TWA aircraft. Only the EL AL aircraft survives.
1971 March 28. First scheduled service to Montreal, Canada (via Amsterdam).
1971 March 31. First scheduled service to Marseille, France.
1971 June 2. First EL AL Boeing 747-200B jumbo jet, 4X-AXA, arrives in Tel Aviv.
1971 June 8. 747 enters scheduled service on route Tel Aviv-London-New York.
1971 November 22. Second 747, 4X-AXB, enters scheduled service on route Tel Aviv-Paris-New York.
1973 25th Anniversary Year.
1973 April 29. EL AL becomes first airline with scheduled nonstop service from Tel Aviv to New York (747-200), establishing a new world record for the longest duration nonstop civil air route.
1973 October 6-25. Yom Kippur War. EL AL fleet requisitioned for massive airlifts. EL AL again becomes only carrier connecting Israel with the outside world.
1974 January 15. Lod Airport, Tel Aviv, renamed Ben-Gurion Airport in memory of Israel’s pioneer leader and first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion.
1975 December 31. EL AL takes delivery of its first convertible passenger/cargo 747-200C ‘Combi’, 4X-AXD.
1976 January 16. EL AL’s first computerized reservations system, Carmel, placed into operation.
1976 July. Registration of Cargo Air Lines (C.A.L.), an Israeli all-cargo airline, obligated until 1999 to lease its aircraft from EL AL whenever available.
1976 November 9. First scheduled service to Mexico City (discontinued in 1979).
1977 September 4. First scheduled service to Lisbon, Portugal.
1977 October 2. Formation of Sun d’Or (originally named EL AL Charter Services) as a wholly-owned charter airline subsidiary of EL AL.
1978. 30th Anniversary Year.
1979 April 1. First scheduled service to Chicago, Illinois and Miami, Florida, USA.
1979 mid. EL AL introduces the popular night flight LY001 from Israel to New York.
1980 early. Business Class introduced and named ‘King Solomon Class’.
1980 March 3. First scheduled service to Cairo, Egypt.
1980 March. Sale of Arkia to Kanaf, a private company, and Arkia’s employees.
1980 October. Two Boeing 737-200s, leased from TEA on October 1, start operating to European destinations.
1981 October. First scheduled service to Eilat, Israel, as an extension of service between European cities and Tel Aviv.
1981 December. First issue (‘1 Winter’) of EL AL’s in-flight magazine ISRAELAL; continues until replaced in 1998 by Atmosphere.
1982 June. First scheduled service to Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
1982 June 6 – September. First Lebanon War, Operation Peace for Galilee. Only EL AL maintains continuing commercial air links from and to Israel.
1982 September 15. Due to labor problems and other difficulties, EL AL is placed in financial receivership, and its passenger operations are shut down for four months.
1982 December. Rafi Harlev appointed president; continues until September 1996.
1983 January 12. Passenger flights resume, following new labor agreements and renewed government support. Workforce reduced 20%.
1983 January 18. First purchased Boeing 737-200, 4X-ABN, delivered.
1983 July 18. First Boeing 767-200, 4X-EAA, delivered.
1983 July 24. EL AL is the first airline to operate the Boeing 767 aircraft in scheduled commercial service in Europe (Tel Aviv-Frankfurt).
1983 August. First scheduled service to Madrid, Spain.
1984 March 26. First 767-200ER (Extended Range) received (4X-EAC). On its initial flight to Israel (from Montreal), it becomes the first twin-jet aircraft to cross the North Atlantic nonstop in revenue service.
1984 June 17. First scheduled service to Los Angeles, California, USA.
1985. Frequent Traveler Club (‘Matmid’) established.
1985 April 22. First scheduled service to Manchester, UK (with Boeing 767).
1985 May 1. Sun d’Or signs joint operating agreement with Arkia for charter services and use of aircraft.
1986 April 2. First scheduled service to Toronto, Canada.
1987. First EL AL scheduled air cargo service between Europe and Miami.
1987 November 25. EL AL receives its first Boeing 757-200 aircraft (4X-EBL)
1987 December 20. First Boeing 757-200 flight, Tel Aviv-Brussels (4X-EBL).
1988 40th Anniversary Year.
1988 May. Longest nonstop flight in EL AL’s history, Los Angeles to Tel Aviv — 12,160km (7,556mi) in 13hr 41min.
1988 fall. First flight by EL AL Cargo over the North Pole, to Anchorage, Alaska, with three 747s, each carrying 50 two-ton support columns for offshore oil drilling rigs.
1989 March 13. First scheduled service to Stockholm, Sweden.
1989 March 27. First scheduled service to Budapest, Hungary.
1989 March 28. First scheduled service to Warsaw, Poland.
1989 October. Start of direct scheduled flights between Eilat, Israel and Europe without intermediate Tel Aviv stop.
1990 January 1. First charter flight to Moscow, USSR; return portion brings Soviet Jews to Israel as part of Operation Exodus. (757, 4X-EBM).
1990 January 22. First flight by North American Airlines (New York-Los Angeles-New York) pursuant to cooperation agreement with EL AL.
1990 March 15. Carmel 2 computerized reservations system goes online.
1990 September 4. First scheduled service to Berlin, Germany.
1990 November 13. First 757 ETOPS aircraft acquired (4X-EBS).
1991 January 23. Charter flights on a regular basis begin to Moscow. Immigrants from USSR can now routinely come directly from Moscow to Israel rather than transiting through East European airports.
1991 January 17. Gulf War breaks out. EL AL becomes only airline flying passengers into Israel.
1991 May 24. EL AL airlifts Ethiopian Jews from Addis Ababa to Tel Aviv in Operation Solomon, with one of its 747s (4X-AXF) carrying 1,087 passengers — a world record that still stands.
1991 June 25. First scheduled service to Prague, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic).
1991 December 10. First regular charter service to St. Petersburg, Russia.
1992 March 30. First scheduled service to Sofia, Bulgaria.
1992 April 22. First use of 757 on trans-Atlantic flight (Manchester-New York) (4X-EBT).
1992 September 3-4. First scheduled flight to Beijing, China (747, 4X-AXC).
1992 October 4. Cargo aircraft 4X-AXG loses two engines on takeoff and crashes in Amsterdam with loss of four persons on board and 39 on the ground.
1993 March 31. First scheduled flight to Barcelona, Spain (757).
1993 December 9. First scheduled service to Mumbai, India and to Bangkok, Thailand (747).
1994 May 8. First scheduled flight with a Boeing 747-400 (Tel Aviv to Paris, 4X-ELA).
1994 June 19. First scheduled service from Newark, New Jersey USA to Tel Aviv (via London); nonstop service begins 1995 April 11.
1994 October 5. First scheduled service to Hong Kong (767).
1995 January 9. First scheduled service to New Delhi, India (747).
1995 February 14. Receivership of EL AL ends. New board of directors appointed, with Yosef Ciechanover as chairman.
1995 April. First scheduled service to Milan, Italy and St. Petersburg, Russia.
1995 June 24. First airline to operate regularly scheduled nonstop flights between Los Angeles and Tel Aviv.
1996. EL AL launches its internet website, www.elal.co.il.
1996 June 23. First scheduled flight to Amman, Jordan.
1996 October 1. Joel Feldschuh becomes president, replacing Rafi Harlev.
1997, fall. Speed record for flight Tel Aviv to New York – 9h 59min (747-400).
1998. 50th Anniversary Year.
1998 June 1. EL AL flights become smoke-free worldwide.
1999. EL AL Boeing 767-200ER, 4X-EAE, becomes the first aircraft with EL AL’s new blue and silver ribbon color scheme.
1999 February 24. First Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft received (a 737-800, 4X-EKA Tiberias).
1999 March. First scheduled flight with a Boeing 737-800.
2001 February. First scheduled flight with a Boeing 777-200 Extended Range aircraft.
2002 April 7. EL AL introduces ‘EL AL PLATINUM’, its new premium quality business class service.
2002 June 2. Amos Shapira becomes president, serving until early 2005.
2003 May 30. Israeli government issues prospectus offering all of EL AL’s shares for sale, and in early June EL AL goes public, with its stock registered for trading on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
2004 February 27. EL AL receives its first Boeing 767-300ER aircraft (4X-EAJ).
2004 Jun 6. After purchases of stock and exercises of stock options by the public, the state’s ownership percentage declines to less than 50%.
2004 October 28. New Terminal 3 opens at Ben-Gurion Airport.
2004 December. EL AL carries relief assistance to Indonesia and Sri Lanka following tsunami catastrophe.
2005 January 6. Privatization of EL AL results in transfer of control to Knafaim Holdings. New board of directors appointed, and Prof. Israel (Izzy) Borovich becomes chairman.
2005 March 10. Haim Romano becomes president, succeeding Amos Shapira, and serves until 31 December 2009.
2005 September 20. EL AL adopts new five-year plan, called ‘EL AL 2010′, aimed to significantly improve passengers’ flight experience and company commercial results.
2006 March. Centralized 24-hour worldwide call center opens at head office in Israel.
2006 March 28. Nonstop service resumes to Miami.
2006 July 23. Nonstop service resumes to Los Angeles.
2007 March. Scheduled service to Istanbul, Turkey discontinued due to difficulties in security arrangements.
2007 July 25, August 18. New 777-200ER aircraft 4X-ECE (Sderot) and 4X-ECF (Kiryat Shmona) enter service.
2008 60th Anniversary Year.
2008 April 4. Advanced Amadeus reservations system launched.
2008 July. Code share agreement launched with American Airlines, offering flight options from 25 additional cities in the USA to Israel.
2008 December 19. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration lowers to Category 2 the level of flight safety supervision by the Israeli Government’s aviation authority; the Category 1 rating is restored on 1 November 2012.
2009 EL AL upgrades interiors of its fleet in all classes of service. Sleeper seats introduced in first and business class.
2009 May. Service to Sao Paulo, Brazil starts and continues until November 2011.
2009 May. Service begins to London’s Luton Airport.
2010 January 1. Elyezer Shkedy becomes president, succeeding Haim Romano, and serves until 19 March 2014.
2010 August. EL AL starts domestic flights between Tel Aviv/Ben-Gurion and Eilat (discontinued on 18 November 2013).
2010 December 1. Israel and the U.S. sign an ‘Open Skies Agreement’ allowing increased flights and more airlines to operate between Israel and the U.S. The Agreement entered into force on 29 March 2011.
2011 March 20. Sun d’Or transfers its flight operations to EL AL. It remains part of EL AL and becomes solely a tourism organizer and marketer of charter flights under the Sun d’Or brand.
2011 March. EL AL’s website launches a historical legacy section in Hebrew, named ‘Moreshet’.
2011 June. Last 747-200 pure cargo aircraft leaves EL AL fleet.
2011. EL AL starts adding winglets to its 737-800 aircraft, for improved fuel economy.
2012 May 22. Launches ‘Economy Class Plus’ section with extra legroom and other amenities..
2012 May. Route to Cairo ends.
2012 November. The last 757 aircraft is withdrawn from service.
2013 June 10. Israel and the European Union sign an ‘Open Skies Agreement’ greatly expanding the rights of airlines to fly between Israel and EU countries. The agreement is implemented in stages through Summer 2018 and is formally ratified by the EU Parliament on 18 June 2020..
2013 July 24. EL AL introduces mobile app allowing passengers to manage their reservations from their smartphones.
2013 October 8. EL AL takes delivery of its first Boeing 737-900ER (Extended Range), 4X-EHA.
2013 November. First scheduled service to Larnaca, Cyprus and Venice, Italy.
2014 March 20. David Maimon becomes president of EL AL, succeeding Elyezer Shkedy.
June 11. Launches ‘Fly Card’ affinity credit card with selected financial institutions.
2014 June 1. Starts installation of streaming entertainment systems in aircraft.
2014 Summer. ‘UP’ brand flights start to selected destinations in Europe.
2014 July 8 – August 26. Gaza War ‘Operation Protective Edge’. Only EL AL continues to fly in and out of Israel.
2014 November. EL AL enters into a ‘code share’ agreement with JetBlue Airways of the U.S.
2015. Launches ‘Cockpit’ program to stimulate innovative start-up projects relevant to the airline industry, and Cockpit is incorporated as an EL AL subsidiary in 2016.
2015 June. Service to Boston, Massachusetts, USA starts anew with 767-300 aircraft.
2015 October. EL AL enters into agreements with Boeing and certain lessors for the acquisition of up to 16 new ‘Dreamliner’ 787 aircraft, some to be purchased and some leased, with options to acquire additional 787s.
2016 February. EL AL contracts with Rolls-Royce for the engines for the 787s it has ordered.
2016. Sun d’Or continues expansion of marketing new scheduled destinations served under the Sun d’Or brand but operated by EL AL, including Grenoble, Stuttgart, Tlibisi and Valencia in 2016.
2017 March. Launches AMOS, an advanced statistical software program developed by Swiss-AS, for EL AL’s aircraft maintenance.
2017 July 2. EL AL and Sun d’Or sign agreement with IDB Tourism for the acquisition of Israir Aviation, but the transaction is dropped after objections in January 2018 from Israel’s Antitrust Authority.
August 22, October 8. EL AL takes delivery of its first two Boeing 787 ‘Dreamliner’ aircraft (787-9s, 4X-EDA and 4X-EDB).
2017 November 1. EL AL resumes nonstop service between Tel Aviv and Miami, Florida, USA.
2018. 70th Anniversary Year. EL AL takes delivery of five additional new 787-9 aircraft.
2018 February 15. Gonen Usishkin becomes president of EL AL, succeeding David Maimon.
2018 July 12. EL AL announces launch of new high-speed Wi-Fi inflight.
2018 August 13. EL AL takes delivery of its first aircraft having a ‘retro’ style livery (paint scheme), 787-9, 4X-EDF.
2018 October 14. ‘UP’ brand discontinued and merged back into EL AL which introduces a ‘New Fare Plan’ for Economy class in flights to Europe, with Lite, Classic and Flex categories. The New Fare Plan is extended to the Far East and South Africa on 1 April 2019.
2019. EL AL takes delivery of five additional new 787-9 ‘Dreamliner’ aircraft and two new 787-8 aircraft. A third 787-8 is received in February 2020, bringing the 787 fleet up to a total of 15 (12 787-9s and three 787-8s).
2019 February 3. Last EL AL 767 flight (Milan to Tel Aviv by 767-300 4X-EAJ).
2019 March. Scheduled service to Nice, France resumes (replacing Sun d’Or branded flights).
2019 April 1. Frequent flyer program ‘Matmid’ upgraded with more options for earning and redeeming points.
2019 May 13. First scheduled service to San Francisco, California, USA.
2019 May 26. Scheduled service to Manchester, U.K., resumes.
2019 June 14. First scheduled service to Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
2019 July 1. Last EL AL pure cargo aircraft is withdrawn from use (747-400F 4X-ELF).
2019 November 3. Last EL AL 747 flight (Rome to Tel Aviv by 747-400 4X-ELC).
2020 January – February. The Covid-19 virus impacts air travel to and from Israel. EL AL suspends flights to Beijing, China starting 30 January 2020; to Hong Kong 12 February; and to Italy 28 February.
2020 March 1 – 15. Due to the spread of the Covid-19 virus, Israel on 9 March imposes a 14-day quarantine on all persons entering Israel from any country. On 11 March the World Health Organization declares Covid-19 to be a worldwide pandemic. EL AL suspends flights on most of its routes by 15 March and places 80% of its employees on furlough.
2020 March 16 – 31. On 18 March, to further defend against the Covid-19 health crisis, Israel bars all foreign nationals from entering the country. EL AL operates numerous special flights to bring Israelis stranded abroad back to Israel, including special roundtrip flights to Peru, Costa Rica, India, Australia and other countries.
2020 March 26. EL AL suspends all flights except for cargo flights and a limited number of additional special flights, including those to transport needed medical supplies to fight the Covid-19 virus. EL AL also requests financial assistance from the Israeli Government by way of loans or guarantees for bank loans.
2020 April 2. In a special flight to bring Israelis home from Melbourne, Australia, EL AL operates the longest nonstop flight ever by an Israeli airline, 17 hr., 20 min., with 787-9 ‘Dreamliner’ 4X-EDK.
2020 April – July. EL AL continues negotiations with the Israeli Government and Israeli banks for financial assistance, and with its employee labor committees for revised labor agreements. Meanwhile on 30 June the airline suspends all flight operations.
2020 August 31. EL AL operates the first flight ever by an Israeli airline to Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates. The flight carried Israeli and United States representatives to the UAE for negotiations relating to Israel-UAE relations. For this flight, Saudi Arabia allowed EL AL to fly on a direct route over Saudi Arabia for the first time in history.
2020 September 16. In cooperation with the Israeli Government, EL AL carries out a $150 million public offering of its shares on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. The company Kanfei Nesharim (‘Wings of Eagles’) Aviation of Israeli citizen Eli Rozenberg, son of US-based businessman Kenny Rozenberg, purchases a little over $100 million of EL AL shares in the offering thereby acquiring 43% ownership of EL AL, enough to control the airline, and receives final approval of the Government. The State of Israel purchases $33 million of shares for a 14% interest. In addition, the State of Israel is to provide guarantees of 75% of $250 million of bank loans to EL AL.
2020 October. EL AL resumes scheduled flights to selected destinations in the U.S. and Europe.
2020 October 20. EL AL’s shareholders appoint six new members of the Board of Directors, including David Brodet as Chairman of the Board.
2020 November 19. EL AL signs a Memorandum of Understanding with Etihad Airways of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, providing for future cooperation including a possible code share agreement.
2020 November 25. EL AL’s Board of Directors appoints Avigal Soreq as its new President and CEO, to replace Gonen Usishkin who previously announced his decision to resign, the change to be effective sometime between 1 January and 31 January 2021.
2020 December 3. EL AL signs a Memorandum of Understanding with Gulf Air of Bahrain, providing for future cooperation including a possible code share agreement.
2020 December 22. EL AL operates first flight to Morocco (Rabat) by an Israeli airline, carrying Israeli and U.S. government representatives, for the purpose of restoring Israel-Morocco diplomatic relations.
2021
2021 July 1. EL AL launches a code share agreement for the first time with an airline of a predominantly Arab country — Etihad Airways of the United Arab Emirates, based in Abu Dhabi.
2021 July 25. First scheduled flight by EL AL to Morocco (LY 553 to Marrakech).
2022
2022 March 27. EL AL resumes nonstop service between Boston and Tel Aviv.
2022 April 7. EL AL appoints Dina Ben-Tal Ganancia as its next President, effective as of 2022 June 1. She became EL AL’s first woman chief executive officer.
2022 April 17. First scheduled flight by EL AL to Sharm el-Sheikh, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt (operated under EL AL’s Sun d’Or brand).
2022 July 15. Saudi Arabia announces permission for Israeli airlines to fly over its territory on scheduled commercial flights. Soon thereafter, EL AL starts overflying Saudi Arabia on its flights to the Far East, saving 20-30 minutes flying time. A much more significant reduction in flying time to the Far East awaits permission from Oman to overfly its territory, which permission is finally granted on 2023 February 23.
2023
2023 February 26. EL AL operates the first flight by an Israeli airline over the airspace of both Saudi Arabia and Oman, following approval by the Sultanate of Oman for Israeli airlines to overfly Oman. The flight was from Tel Aviv to Bangkok, and the approval to fly over Oman, coupled with the earlier approval from Saudi Arabia, cuts the previous travel time of Israeli airlines on that route by 2-1/2 hours.
2023 March 1. EL AL operates its first regular scheduled service to Tokyo, Japan.
2023 March 2. EL AL reports a net profit of $109 million for 2022, marking a return to profitability.
2023 March 13. EL AL operates its first scheduled flight to Porto, Portugal.
2023 March 16. EL AL operates its first scheduled flight to Dublin, Ireland.
2023 March 30. EL AL resumes scheduled service to Istanbul, Turkey, after last serving that city in 2007. The flights are operated under EL AL’s Sun d’Or brand.
2023 July 30-31. Delivery flight to Tel Aviv of EL AL’s 16th Boeing 787 Dreamliner, 4X-ERD (a 787-8). The flight operated with 30% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (‘SAF’) and was EL AL’s first flight with SAF, a biofuel that yields less carbon emissions than conventional jet fuel.
Last updated 2 August 2023.
Copyright 2017 – 2023 Marvin G. Goldman.