Category Archives: El Al Israel Airlines

El Al reduces its loss in 2012

El Al Israel Airlines (Tel Aviv) reported it narrowed its yearly loss to $18.8 million for 2012, compared with a loss of $49.8 million in 2011, an improvement of 62 percent.

El Al hasย purchased two additional Boeing narrow-body 737-900s (a total of six have beenย purchased). The first of these new aircraft will begin service with El Al in October 2013.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Keith Burton.ย Boeing 747-458 4X-ELD (msn 29328) climbs gracefully away from the runway at London (Heathrow).

El Al Israel Airlines:ย AG Slide Show

 

El Al retires its last Boeing 757 today

El Al Israel Airlines (Tel Aviv) today (November 26) operated its final Boeing 757 revenue flight from Tel Aviv to Barcelona and back per AIrline Route. The type was introduced by El Al in November 1987.

Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best. Boeing 757-258 4X-EBV (msn 26054) taxies past the camera at Amsterdam.

El Al:ย 

El Al orders two more Boeing 737-900 ERs

El Al Israel Airlines (Tel Aviv) and Boeing (Chicago) today have announced that the Israeli national carrier has finalized an order for two additional Next-Generation 737-900 ERs (Extended Range), adding to El Al’s previous order in March 2011, bringing the total number to six 737-900 ERs on order.

The 737-900 ERs will replace two larger, single-aisle Boeing 757-200s (above), which ceased production in 2004, and permit the carrier to expand. The 737-900 ER can seat up to 215 passengers in a single-class configuration and has a range of up to 3,235 nautical miles (5,990 km).

El Al’s 737-900 ERs will also feature the innovative Boeing Sky Interior, enabling the airline to differentiate themselves from their competitors by offering their passengers a more comfortable travel experience. The 737 Boeing Sky Interior features new modern sculpted sidewalls and window reveals, LED lighting to enhance the sense of spaciousness and larger pivoting overhead stowage bins.

Copyright Photo: Paul Denton. Boeing 757-258 4x-EBU (msn 26053) completes its final approach into Madrid (Barajas). The two 757s will be replaced with the newer 737-900 ERs.

El Al:ย 

El Al introduces Economy Class Plus service on its Boeing 747-400s

El Al Israel Airlines (Tel Aviv) has introduced Economy Class Plus, locatedย at the front of the Economy Cabin. The new service offers a “new flying experience” featuring improved seating with extra legroom (36โ€ instead of 32โ€), a 33% increase in seat-back recline, designated check-in counters and pampering extras on board.

During the first stages, El Al will offer this new service on its Boeing 747-400 aircraft, mainly serving the New York, London and Paris routes.

The new service Class will be at the front of the Economy Class cabin, and will offer 34 – 40 seats on each aircraft, depending on the aircraft type.

The new service Class will go on sale today, May 23, 2012, priced at $80ย one way for European flights, and $150 one way on long-haul flights.

Top Platinum, Platinum and Gold members of EL ALโ€™s Matmid Frequent Flyer Club, as well as customers purchasing upgradable tickets (according to class regulations), will be eligible for these special seats when reserving, at no extra cost.ย  Furthermore, a companion traveler of Top Platinum members will also be eligible, at no extra cost.

Copyright Photo; Arnd Wolf.

El Al:ย 

El Al loses $49.4 million in 2011

El Al Israel Airlines (Tel Aviv) reported a net lossย for 2011 of $49.4 million, compared to a profit of about $57 million in 2010. For the fourth quarter, El Al reported a net loss ofย $7.8 million, compared to a profit of $16.3 in the same quarter last year.ย The cash balance available to the Company at the end of 2011 totaled $85.4 million.

El Al implemented a number of steps to reduce its expenses, including optimizing its aircraft fleet and re-examining its route structure and destinations. One of the results was the airline stop flying to Sao Paulo, Odessa and Dnepropetrovsk. The flag carrier is also reducing the number of aircraft types in its fleet and is removing older aircraft from service. A cargo Boeing 747-200 went out of service this past summer; two passenger 767-200s stopped flying at the end of 2011, and two leased 757s were returned to their owners. As a result, this reduce the number of aircraft types operated from six to four.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing.

El Al Slide Show: CLICK HERE

 

El Al Israel Airlines sinks to a second quarter loss of $19.7 million, will drop Sao Paulo

El Al Israel Airlines (Tel Aviv) reported a loss of around $19.7 million (US) in the second quarter of 2011. The company attributed the swing to the red due to a 47% increase in the price of aviation fuel, and the 9% increase in the value of the shekel versus the dollar. These changes increased the companyโ€™s costs by about $80 million before hedging, compared to the same quarter in 2010.

El Al also announced its intention to utilize more its fuel-efficient 777s as the company trims non-productive routes. El Al is also planning to remove older less fuel-inefficient aircraft from service andย to add Blended Winglets to other aircraft.

El Al Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Marcelo F. De Biasi. Boeing 777-258 ER 4X-ECB (msn 30832) completes its final approach into Sao Paulo (Guarulhos). El Al is dropping Sao Paulo on November 10, 2011.

El Al Israel Airlines celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the first nonstop flight to New York from Israel

El Al Israel Airlines (Tel Aviv) is celebrating this month the 50th Anniversary of the first nonstop flight between Tel Aviv and New York (Idlewild) on June 15, 1961.

Copyright Photo: Richard Vandervord. Please click on the photo for additional information.

El Al Israel Airlines’ first quarter loss widens

El Al Israel Airlines’ (Tel Aviv) posted a net loss of $42.9 million in the first quarter, compared with a loss of $16.5 million a year ago according to this report by Reuters.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Paul Denton. Please click on the photo for aircraft details.

El Al Photo Show: CLICK HERE

El Al to fly a formation of four aircraft on Israeli Independence Day (May 10)

El Al Israel Airlines (Tel Aviv) will join in the celebration of the 63rd anniversary of the founding of Israel by pledging to fly four aircraft in formation at the annual air show on May 10 in Israel.

Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best. Please click on the photo for the full details.

El Al swings to a profitable 4Q and 2010

El Al Israel Airlines (Tel Aviv) reported a profitable 2010 as well as for the fourth quarter of the year. In addition, El Al President & CEO Eleyzer Shkedy informed the Board of Directors that he would contribute 50% of his 2010 annual bonus to an “Excellence and Employees Fund” that would be awarded to El Al employees worldwide.

The annual net profit for El Al in 2010 is $57.1 million, as compared to a loss of $76.3 million in the parallel period of 2009. Gross profits for the year resulted in an increase of 83% to $387.7 million over 2009. The company’s overall revenue in 2010 totaled $1.97 billion as compared to $1.65 billion in 2009, a significant increase of 19%. Cash flow from regular activities in 2010 totaled $203.3 million (a remarkable jump of 807%) from $22.4 million in 2009. And, at the end of 2010, the shareholders’ equity doubled to $249 million, as compared to $124 million on December 31, 2009.

The net profit for the last quarter of 2010 was $16.3 million as compared to a $29 million loss in the same period of the previous year.

Copyright Photo: Richard Vandervord. Please click on the photo for the aircraft details.