Air India’s first flight to Tel Aviv, with permission to fly over Saudi Arabia, takes off from Delhi
This is the first time Riyadh has allowed flights to Israel – a country it does not recognise – through its airspace.
Air India on Thursday launched its first direct flight to Tel Aviv from New Delhi, ending the decades-old ban Saudi Arabia had imposed on flights to Israel through its airspace.
It was reported in February that Saudi Arabia had granted Air India permission to use its airspace for the journey from New Delhi to the Israeli capital. The Indian national carrier’s flight to Tel Aviv on Thursday is a major mark in history as Saudi Arabia does not recognise the state of Israel and did not allow flights to the country using its airspace.
Before Air India, Israeli national carrier El Al was the only airline that flew directly to India, with a Tel Aviv-Mumbai flight. While this journey takes eight hours, Saudi Arabia’s approval for Air India shortens the travel time between Tel Aviv and Delhi by two and a half hours.
This direct Air India flight is expected to boost tourism in both Israel and India and strengthen bilateral ties. The 256-seater flight will operate every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 4.50 pm from March 25.
#FlyAI : #AirIndia ready for #BigDay . Check-in counters all set to mark beginning of historical event at Ben Gurion Intl Apt #TelAviv. #NONSTOP #FLIGHT 22nd March #Shortest route @TelAviv @danielocarmon @IsraelinIndia @israelinMumbai @IsraelBangalore @IsraelMFA @Israel pic.twitter.com/BV2ewsEeP4
— Air India (@airindiain) March 21, 2018
HipHipHurray!All geared up at #Delhi #IGI airport 4 a truly #Historical inaugural flight by @airindiain 2 @TelAviv.An exciting,important step in our 🇮🇳🇮🇱relations,more #Connectivity 4travelers,tourists,businessmen&women,pilgrims.A day to be remembered.#BonVoyage & #NesiaTova pic.twitter.com/YlD0nlKX9R
— Daniel Carmon🇮🇱 (@danielocarmon) March 22, 2018