El Al Israel Airlines

El Al occupies a place in Israeli national life that few commercial airlines hold. Its founding mission was to “secure and maintain a regular civil air link between Israel and the outside world in times of peace and war.”[1] Its route map has reflected Israel's diplomatic relationships, with service to Egypt following the Israel–Egypt peace agreement and a first flight to Jordan after the Israel–Jordan peace agreement.[6][7] The Abraham Accords subsequently enabled the first direct El Al flight to an Arab Gulf country.[3]

El Al aircraft have also served in immigration airlifts, wartime transport operations, and the covert transfer of Adolf Eichmann to Israel.[1][5] The airline is listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, while the Israeli government retains a Special Share carrying specific rights in circumstances serving national interests.[4] It is described as the world's only Shomer Shabbat carrier and serves kosher food aboard its aircraft.[1][8] As of December 31, 2024, it employed 5,734 people, operated 47 aircraft on 35,992 annual departures, and reported a passenger load factor of 93.8 percent.[4]

El Al's first flight preceded its formal incorporation by nearly two months. In September 1948, with Israel fighting its War of Independence, a four-engine C-54 military transport was converted for civilian use because a Swiss military embargo prevented the intended government aircraft from bringing President Chaim Weizmann home.[1][9] The converted aircraft was fitted with extra fuel tanks, painted with the name “El Al Israel National Aviation Company,” furnished with borrowed military equipment, staffed by volunteer Air Force personnel, and supplied with meals from a local kosher restaurant.[1] It carried Weizmann, his wife Vera, and an entourage, landing at Ekron Air Base near Rehovot on September 28, 1948.[1]

El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. was formally incorporated on November 15, 1948.[1] The Israeli government initially held 80 percent of the airline, with Jewish organizations in Israel holding the remaining 20 percent.[1] Transport Minister David Remez selected the name “El Al” from Hosea 11:7, phrased in the source as “V'El Al yikra'eihu lo yeromem.”[3] The first two commercial aircraft acquired were DC-4s purchased from American Airlines.[3]

El Al's first scheduled commercial flight departed Tel Aviv for Paris on July 31, 1949. Scheduled service to Rome, Zurich, and London followed in December 1949, with later routes reaching Vienna, Johannesburg, Athens, Istanbul, Amsterdam, Brussels, Munich, and Frankfurt.[9] A 1951 yearbook placed the start of regular service to England within the broader expansion of Israel's international air links.[10] An early American Jewish Archives document lists scheduled flights to New York, Paris, London, Vienna, Rome, Zurich, Athens, Nicosia, Johannesburg, and Istanbul.[11]

On June 18, 1950, El Al operated its first transatlantic charter flight from Tel Aviv to New York, and on April 29, 1951, it inaugurated regular scheduled service on that route.[9] In 1958, service reached Munich; in 1959, the airline began service to Tehran and introduced what it describes as the first in-flight telephone service on international transoceanic flights.[3][12]

During the 1956 Sinai War, foreign airlines canceled flights to and from Israel while El Al continued carrying passengers and supplies.[1] The government subsequently purchased three Britannia turboprops for the airline. In December 1957, an El Al Britannia flew from New York to Tel Aviv in 14 hours and 46 minutes, described as the longest commercial-airline flight at that time; the following month, another Britannia completed the nonstop New York–London route in 7 hours and 44 minutes, breaking a speed record.[1]

In June 1961, El Al inaugurated nonstop Boeing 707 service between New York and Tel Aviv, establishing records for the fastest flight, the first nonstop service on the route, and the world's longest nonstop commercial flight.[1] The airline retired its last Constellation that year, ending its piston-engine era.[1] During the 1970s, it opened routes to destinations including Addis Ababa, Montreal, Marseille, Mexico City, Lisbon, Chicago, and Miami.[13]

In March 1984, El Al received its first Boeing 767-200ER and operated what its timeline describes as the first twin-engine scheduled passenger flight across the North Atlantic.[3] In 1988, it set a record for the longest nonstop El Al flight at the time, covering approximately 7,000 miles between Los Angeles and Tel Aviv in 13 hours and 41 minutes.[3]

El Al began its transition from state ownership in 2003 by issuing shares to the public. The government's holding fell below 50 percent in June 2004, and privatization was completed in January 2005.[3] Control passed into private hands, with Knafaim-Arkia Holding Group holding approximately 40 percent of the share capital.[14]

The COVID-19 pandemic imposed severe financial distress. El Al dismissed approximately 2,000 employees—about one-third of its workforce—and senior executives accepted salary cuts. Remaining employees agreed to surrender standard free flights for five years, while the airline sought a $400 million loan and the government offered an 80 percent loan guarantee conditioned on reforms.[15]

In 2020, Kenneth “Kenny” Rozenberg and his family financed the purchase of 42.85 percent of El Al's shares, injecting private capital during the crisis.[9] The Israeli government retained a Special Share carrying specific rights in circumstances serving national interests.[4]

El Al serves kosher food aboard its aircraft and does not fly on the Jewish Sabbath. The Jewish Virtual Library describes it as the world's only Shomer Shabbat carrier.[1][8] Every flight carries a trained air marshal, and the airline's aircraft are equipped with missile-defense systems, reflecting a security posture developed through decades of operating under threat.[9]

The 1968 hijacking of El Al Flight 426 influenced later security procedures. During the attempted hijacking of Flight 219 in September 1970, the Israeli pilot had received counter-terrorism training as a direct result of the Algeria incident, and his response contributed to defeating the attempt.[16]

On July 4, 2002, Hesham Mohamed Ali Hedayat opened fire at the El Al ticket counter at Los Angeles International Airport, killing an El Al ticketing agent and a bystander before being fatally shot by an El Al security officer.[17] The FBI reported that Hedayat's religious and political beliefs, including a desire to advance the Palestinian cause by killing civilians and targeting an Israeli airline, were the primary motivation. The case was officially designated an act of international terrorism.[17]

El Al has also used its aircraft for projects of Jewish memory and solidarity. In January 2021, one of its aircraft flew from Tel Aviv to Berlin carrying a visible #WeRemember logo as part of a World Jewish Congress Holocaust-education and antisemitism-awareness initiative.[18]

El Al operates an all-Boeing fleet. As of December 31, 2024, it reported 47 aircraft: 17 Boeing 737-800s, 8 Boeing 737-900ERs, 12 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, 6 Boeing 777-200ERs, and 4 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners. The total included two aircraft not in service and one cargo aircraft.[4]

The Boeing 787 Dreamliners have listed ranges of 13,700 kilometers, while the Boeing 777-200ER has a listed range of 13,520 kilometers. The 737 variants cover shorter routes with listed ranges of 4,450 to 4,630 kilometers. Seat configurations range from 166 to 313 seats, depending on aircraft type and cabin arrangement.[19]

El Al introduced its first Boeing 777 in March 2000 and listed its shares on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange in 2003.[14] It has signed what it describes as the largest aircraft purchase agreement in its history to obtain more fuel-efficient next-generation narrow-body aircraft, with renewal planned to begin in 2028.[4] In 2024, the airline reported a 5 percent reduction in fuel-related greenhouse-gas-emissions intensity compared with 2023, received five APEX stars for the fourth consecutive year, and recorded more than 12,000 employee volunteer hours.[4]

The airline serves nearly 50 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, and Asia.[4] A 1967 conference program designated El Al as the official carrier of the International Conference of Jewish Communal Service and listed offices in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa, including 24-hour flight information through its Tel Aviv office.[20]

From its earliest operations, El Al aircraft participated in efforts to bring Jewish communities to Israel. Operation Magic Carpet, beginning in January 1949, saw El Al personnel help transport almost 47,000 Yemenite Jews and 3,000 Habbanim Jews from the Arabian Peninsula.[1] Aircraft were repainted for safety over Arab airspace, and seats were replaced with wooden benches to accommodate more travelers. At the operation's peak, planes flew seven or eight times per day on routes of approximately 1,600 miles, with each flight taking about nine hours.[1]

El Al states that between 1950 and 1956 it transported more than 160,000 immigrants from Yemen, Iran, and India under Operations Magic Carpet and Ezra and Nehemiah.[12] Operation Ezra and Nehemiah, also called Operation Ali Baba in one source, ran from May 1950 through December 1951. The Jewish Virtual Library reports that El Al became a visible symbol of freedom for 113,000 Iraqi immigrants after Iraq permitted Jewish emigration.[1]

Operation Solomon, conducted on May 24–25, 1991, evacuated Ethiopian Jews amid Ethiopia's civil war. American arbitration helped Israel reach an agreement with Mengistu and rebel forces that enabled the rescue.[21] Within approximately 36 hours, 14,325 Ethiopian Jews were transported to Ben Gurion Airport aboard 35 aircraft, including Israeli Air Force C-130s and El Al Boeing 747s.[22] More than 300 El Al ground workers, pilots, and flight attendants worked around the clock.[1]

One specially configured El Al Boeing 747 carried 1,087 registered passengers, described as an international aviation record.[1] The World Jewish Congress reports that 1,122 people were aboard because dozens of children concealed in their mothers' clothing were not registered. It also reports that five babies were born aboard aircraft participating in the operation.[22]

After the fall of the Iron Curtain, Operation Exodus began on January 1, 1990, and El Al played a major role in airlifting hundreds of thousands of Soviet Jews to Israel.[1] The airline also inaugurated service to Moscow in January 1990, opened service to Beijing in September 1992, and added Mumbai and Bangkok in 1993.[7]

Adolf Eichmann, one of the architects of the “Final Solution,” was captured in Argentina on May 11, 1960, in an operation conducted by Israeli Mossad agents.[5] Eleven days later, he was clandestinely flown to Israel aboard an El Al airliner. Yad Vashem identifies the aircraft as an El Al Britannia capable of making a direct flight from Argentina to Israel.[5] Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion announced Eichmann's capture and presence in Israel to the Knesset on May 23, 1960.[5] Eichmann was subsequently tried and convicted for crimes against the Jewish people.[15]

El Al has maintained service during several major conflicts, sometimes serving as Israel's principal air link when foreign carriers suspended operations.

During the 1956 Sinai War, foreign airlines suspended flights to Israel while El Al continued carrying passengers and supplies.[1] During the Yom Kippur War in October 1973, Lod Airport closed to civilian traffic and foreign carriers stopped flying, but El Al ferried Israeli nationals home and transported emergency supplies, medicines, and other materials.[1] By the second day, the interiors of El Al's 707 aircraft had been gutted for an emergency cargo operation. Pilots logged 180 flying hours in two weeks while the airline maintained its regular schedule with approximately one-quarter of its normal staff.[1]

During the multi-front war Israel faced in 2024, El Al reported maintaining an air bridge between Israel and the rest of the world. It transported passengers and essential cargo, operated around the clock to bring Israelis home, conducted airlifts from selected locations, and expanded its schedule in response to urgent needs.[4] Following violent attacks on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam, the airline operated eight emergency flights to Tel Aviv and transported approximately 2,000 passengers free of charge.[9][4]

In March 2026, El Al partnered with the U.S. State Department on nonstop flights from Tel Aviv to the United States designated exclusively for American citizens. Flights to Newark and New York from March 16 through March 19 returned more than 2,000 Americans at no cost to U.S. taxpayers. El Al offered below-cost tickets, waived reticketing charges for existing passengers, and scheduled 28 additional commercial flights to North America, subject to Israeli approval.[23]

El Al's route map has reflected changes in Israel's diplomatic relationships. Following the 1979 peace agreement between Israel and Egypt, the airline opened service between Tel Aviv and Cairo in 1980.[3] After the Israel–Jordan peace agreement, El Al operated its first flight from Tel Aviv to Amman in June 1996.[7]

On September 1, 2020, El Al operated the first direct flight from Israel to an Arab Gulf country and the first Israeli aircraft permitted to fly through Saudi airspace.[3] The outbound service was identified as LY971 and carried a U.S.-Israeli delegation and 22 journalists. Its aircraft bore the word “Peace” in English, Hebrew, and Arabic and displayed Israeli, American, and Emirati flags; return flight LY972 landed in Tel Aviv the following day.[24]

On October 18, 2020, El Al operated the first commercial flight from Tel Aviv to Manama, Bahrain. Flight LY973 was numbered for Bahrain's international dialing code and carried messages of peace in Hebrew, Arabic, and English. The visit resulted in a joint communiqué establishing Bahrain–Israel ties and several memoranda of understanding.[24]

The 1968 Hijacking. On July 22, 1968, El Al Flight 426, a Boeing 707 traveling from Rome to Tel Aviv, was seized by three Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorists and diverted to Algeria.[25] The aircraft carried 38 passengers and a crew of 10. Non-Israeli passengers were released within 24 hours, while five Israeli passengers and seven crew members remained hostage during a 39-day standoff. The hostages were initially held near the airport and were later moved to a private villa.[25] The crisis ended through Italian mediation after Israel agreed to release 16 Palestinian prisoners as a humanitarian gesture; there was no loss of life.[25][16] It was the first and only successful hijacking of an El Al aircraft.[25] The INSS analyzes the incident as part of a PFLP terrorist strategy that targeted aviation and used hostage-taking to attract international attention.[16]

The 2009 Price-Fixing Plea Agreement. In January 2009, El Al agreed to plead guilty to participating in an international air-cargo price-fixing conspiracy and to pay a $15.7 million criminal fine.[26] The charges alleged participation from approximately January 2003 through at least February 14, 2006, in fixing cargo rates for international shipments, including shipments to and from the United States, in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act. The plea agreement was subject to court approval.[26]

The COVID-Era Governance Dispute. During negotiations over pandemic relief, the Israeli government accused El Al of financial mismanagement and excessive salaries, while El Al CEO Gonen Usishkin accused Treasury officials of intentionally trying to break up the airline.[15] The competing allegations illustrated tension between the state's treatment of El Al as a national asset and management's pursuit of commercial viability.