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Israir

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Israir
File:Israir-logo2.jpg
IATA ICAO Call sign
6H ISR ISRAIR
Founded1989 (as Kanfei HaEmek)
Renamed as "Israir Airlines" in 1996
HubsBen Gurion Int'l Airport
Sde Dov Airport
Focus citiesEilat Airport
Ovda International Airport
Haifa Airport
Fleet size9 (+3 orders)
Destinations13 scheduled,c others chartered
HeadquartersIsrael Tel Aviv, Israel
Key peopleZohar Endelman (President & CEO)
Israel Ben Haim (General Manager)
Websitehttp://www.israirairlines.com
Israir Airlines Boeing 757 at Ben Gurion Airport

Israir Airlines (Template:Lang-he), usually referred to as Israir, is an airline based in Tel Aviv, Israel. It operates domestic scheduled and air taxi flights from Sde Dov Airport, Haifa Airport, Ben Gurion Airport and Eilat Airport, as well as international charter services from Ben Gurion International Airport, to Europe, Asia, and North America.[1] It also operates VIP flights and is Israel's second largest airline after El Al employing some 350 staff.[1][2] The airline is said to have modelled itself based on US low cost carrier, JetBlue.[3]

History

Israir Airlines was established in 1989 as Kanfei HaEmek (Valley Wings), before changing its name to Israir Airlines in 1996. It is now wholly owned by the Ganden Group.[4] The airline began with domestic services from Eilat Airport, Ben Gurion International Airport, Sde Dov Airport, and Haifa Airport in the North of the country. It expanded its operations to begin international charter flights in 1999 building up a route network which now covers much of Europe, as well as regularly flying to other destinations in Asia, Africa, and North America.

The airline expanded operations across the Atlantic when they started regular charter service to New York's Kennedy International Airport in June 2004. Permission was granted to the airline to convert this to regular scheduled service by the Israeli government and the FAA as of May 1, 2006.[5]

In early 2007, the airline announced plans to introduce Sky-Torah scrolls on each of its aircraft.[6] These were effectively Torah scrolls which would be carried on board its flight for Jewish passengers to use for prayer. This is a first for any Israeli airline and was seen by many as a means to attract many Haredi passengers to the airline at a time when they were showing great dissatisfaction with arch-rival, El Al, following their flying of aircraft over the Shabbat.[7] Later on in 2007, the airline sparked controversy once again when a passenger announced he was filing a lawsuit against the airline for misadvertising the legroom they offered on their aircraft.[8]

Incidents

In June 2001, one of Israir's ATR-42-320 aircraft was damaged beyond repair following a heavy landing at Ben Gurion Airport. Despite the aircraft being written off, no passengers were injured in this incident.[9]

In May 2007, an Israir Airlines aircraft on a test flight was almost shot down by Israeli F-16 jets after it entered a demarcation zone where airlines are expected to identify themselves.[10] Later that month, on 23 May, an Israir flight had to make an emergency landing following smoke build up in the cabin on approach at Berlin-Schonefeld International Airport. No one was injured in the incident.[11]

Destinations

Main article: Israir Airlines destinations

Israir Airlines has destinations in three continents; Asia, Europe, and North America, via both chartered and scheduled services. It operates scheduled domestic services across Israel, as well as scheduled services to New York. Its European services are chartered and as such the airline covers a wide range of destinations here.[12]

Fleet

The Israir Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft, as of May 2007:

Israir Airlines Fleet
Aircraft Total Routes Notes
ATR 42-300 4 Domestic 4X-ATN, 4X-ATO, 4X-ATM, 4X-ATL
Airbus A320 2 Europe YL-LCA, YL-LCB
(both leased from LatCharter), three ordered for delivery in 2010, 180 seats
Boeing 757-200 2 Europe 4X-EBI, 4X-EBM
(both leased from El Al)
Boeing 767-300ER 1 New York TF-FIC
(leased from Icelandair)

After Israir was granted permission to operate scheduled service on the lucrative New York-Tel Aviv route, in spring 2006 it entered talks with both Boeing and Airbus regarding the acquisition of new aircraft to its fleet and replacement of its existing jets. The company was said to be in talks with Boeing over the 787 model.[13] It also signed a deal to acquire Airbus A320 aircraft.[14] This is an significant milestone in Israeli aviation as no airline has ever before purchased Airbus aircraft.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b "About Israir Airlines". Israir Airlines. Retrieved 2007-05-08.
  2. ^ "Israir Airlines (Israel's Second Largest)". YnetNews. 2006-12-28. Retrieved 2007-05-05.
  3. ^ "Israir Airlines information". Hoovers.com. Retrieved 2007-05-12.
  4. ^ "Ganden Group Venture Capital Profile". Retrieved 2007-05-08.
  5. ^ Mutzabaugh, Ben (2006-06-17). "More competition between Israel, New York". USA Today. Retrieved 2007-05-06. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ "Israir Airlines Introduces the 'Sky-Torah'". PR Newswire. 2006-12-27. Retrieved 2007-05-05.
  7. ^ "Flying Torah". 2007-01-03. Retrieved 2007-07-20. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |source= ignored (help)
  8. ^ Ben-Zur, Carmel (2007-05-13). "Customer files lawsuit against Israir Airlines over reduced legroom". Haaretz. Retrieved 2007-05-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ "ASN Aircraft accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2007-05-12.
  10. ^ "Israir Airlines test flight nearly shot down by F16s". Globes. 2007-03-21. Retrieved 2007-05-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ "Israeli plane makes emergency landing". The Jerusalem Post. 2007-05-23. Retrieved 2007-05-24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ "Israir Airlines:Destination Guide". Israir Airlines. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  13. ^ "Boeing near decision on 787 production capacity". USA Today. 2006-06-08. Retrieved 2007-07-20. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ Krawitz, Avi (2006-12-21). "Israir Airlines to buy two Airbus A320s". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2007-07-20. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ "Airbus marks first breakthrough in the Israeli market with Israir Airlines A320 order". Port2Port. 2007-04-23. Retrieved 2007-05-06. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)


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