El Al facts for kids
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| Founded | 1948 |
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| Operating bases | Ben Gurion Airport |
| Frequent-flyer program | Matmid Guest |
| Subsidiaries |
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| Fleet size | 46 |
| Destinations | 48 |
| Headquarters | Ben Gurion Airport, Israel |
| Key people | David Brodet, Chairman Dina Ben Tal, CEO Olga Alauof, Kenny Rozenberg & Daryl Hagler Controlling shareholder |
| Employees | 3,570 permanent, 2,608 temporary. |
EL AL Israel Airlines Ltd. is Israel's national airline, often called its flag carrier. This means it's the main airline representing the country. Its name, EL AL, means "Upwards" or "To the Skies" in Hebrew.
Since its first flight in September 1948, El Al has grown a lot. It now flies to almost 50 places around the world, including Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Its main base is at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel.
El Al is known for its very strong security. It's the only airline that puts special missile defense systems on its planes! Even though there have been attempts to hijack or attack its planes, only one El Al flight has ever been successfully hijacked, and thankfully, no one died in that incident.
As Israel's national airline, El Al has helped in many important ways. For example, it has flown many Jewish people from other countries to Israel, especially during times of need. In 1991, during Operation Solomon, an El Al 747 plane set a world record by carrying 1,088 passengers in one flight! This was part of a huge effort to bring 14,500 Jewish refugees from Ethiopia to Israel.
El Al follows Jewish traditions. This means it only serves kosher meals on its flights. Also, its planes do not fly during the Jewish Shabbat (Sabbath) or on religious holidays.
History of El Al
How El Al Started (1948–1949)
El Al began in September 1948. Israel's first president, Chaim Weizmann, needed to fly home from Switzerland. Because of a travel ban on Israel at the time, a military plane was quickly changed into a passenger plane for him. It was painted with the "El Al" logo and flew him safely back to Israel.
After this special flight, El Al officially became Israel's national airline on November 15, 1948. At first, it used rented planes. Then, in February 1949, it bought two of its own planes. The first international flight was from Tel Aviv to Paris in July 1949. By the end of that year, El Al was also flying to London and Johannesburg.
From the very beginning, there were discussions about how the airline would follow Jewish traditions. Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, promised that El Al would only serve kosher food and would not fly on the Jewish Sabbath. The name "El Al" was suggested by David Remez, the first Minister of Transport, and comes from a passage in the Bible.
Growing in the 1950s
In the 1950s, El Al started regular flights to London and added cargo services. It also expanded its flights to more European cities like Vienna and Istanbul.
El Al played a secret and very important role in the early 1950s. It flew over 160,000 Jewish immigrants to Israel from countries like Iran, Iraq, and Yemen. This was part of special missions like Operation Magic Carpet. In 1960, El Al also secretly flew Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann from Argentina to Israel after he was captured.
In 1955, El Al bought new Bristol Britannia planes, becoming only the second airline in the world to use them. In 1958, El Al used a clever advertisement in the United States to promote its non-stop flights across the Atlantic Ocean. It showed a "shrunken" Atlantic, suggesting the flight made the journey feel much shorter. This ad was very successful and helped El Al's sales triple within a year.
Becoming Profitable in the 1960s
Even with new planes, El Al wasn't making money at first. But in the 1960s, it started using modern Boeing 707 and Boeing 720 jet planes.
The year 1960 was the first time El Al made a profit. By then, more than half of all passengers flying into Israel came on El Al flights. On June 15, 1961, an El Al Boeing 707 set a world record for the longest non-stop commercial flight, flying from New York to Tel Aviv in just over 9 and a half hours. El Al continued to do well throughout the 1960s, adding more flights and even starting a catering company.
Dealing with Challenges
In 1968, El Al faced its first serious security challenge. On July 23, a Boeing 707 flight from Rome to Tel Aviv was hijacked by three members of a group called the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The plane was forced to land in Algeria. After 40 days of talks, everyone on board was freed safely. This was the only time an El Al plane was successfully hijacked.
Later that year, on December 26, two PFLP members attacked an El Al plane at Athens Airport, sadly killing an Israeli mechanic. Israel responded by raiding Beirut Airport in Lebanon, destroying 14 planes belonging to other airlines.
More attacks happened in 1969, including one at Zurich Airport where the copilot was killed. There were also bomb attacks at El Al offices in other cities. These events led El Al to develop its very strict security measures.
The Boeing Era (1970s)
El Al bought its first Boeing 747 jet in 1971. This was a big step because these planes were expensive. However, El Al's flights became even more popular after this purchase. Another Boeing 747 arrived in 1973, which allowed El Al to start non-stop flights from Tel Aviv to New York.
In the mid-1970s, El Al started scheduling some flights that would depart from other countries on the Jewish Sabbath but land in Israel after the Sabbath was over. This caused a lot of debate in Israel, as some felt it went against the original agreement to not fly on Shabbat. In 1982, a vote in the Israeli parliament (Knesset) banned Sabbath flights again.
In 1977, El Al created a charter airline called El Al Charter Services Ltd., which later became Sun D'Or. Towards the end of the 1970s, as the situation in Iran became difficult, El Al helped fly Jewish people from Iran to Israel.
Overcoming Challenges (1980s)
In April 1980, El Al started flights to Cairo after Israel and Egypt signed a peace treaty. Later, in 1982, El Al faced many worker strikes and had to stop flights for a while. The government stepped in to help the company.
Flights started again in January 1983. The government bought new Boeing 737 and Boeing 767 planes. Within four years, El Al was making a profit again! In May 1988, El Al set another record with a non-stop flight from Los Angeles to Tel Aviv, which took 13 hours and 41 minutes.
New Beginnings (1990s)
In the early 1990s, after the Soviet Union broke apart, El Al started regular flights to Moscow. In 1991, El Al helped fly over 400,000 Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union to Israel.
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On May 24, 1991, an El Al Boeing 747 cargo plane made history during Operation Solomon. It flew a record-breaking 1,088 Ethiopian Jews from Addis Ababa to Israel. Two babies were even born during the flight! In less than 36 hours, 14,500 Ethiopian Jews were flown to Israel.
In 1994, El Al received its first Boeing 747-400, a larger and more modern version of the jumbo jet. In 1995, El Al signed its first codesharing agreement with American Airlines, allowing passengers to book flights on both airlines more easily. In June 1996, El Al made its first flight from Israel to Amman, Jordan.
In 1996, El Al faced some financial difficulties due to renewed security concerns and new government policies. To attract passengers, El Al offered special "flights to nowhere," where people could enjoy entertainment on the plane while it flew over the Mediterranean Sea.
The 21st Century
El Al's first Boeing 777 plane flew in March 2000. Later that year, the debate about flying on Shabbat came up again.
In June 2003, El Al started to become a private company, meaning the government sold parts of it to the public. By 2005, a company called Knafaim-Arkia Holdings Ltd. owned most of El Al.
In August 2010, El Al and JetBlue made an agreement to help passengers connect between Israel and many cities in the United States.
In 2015, El Al briefly required female flight attendants to wear high heels, but this rule was removed after the workers' union protested.
In August 2017, El Al started flying the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. These planes have updated cabins with better seats, personal entertainment screens, and Wi-Fi. They also introduced a new "Premium Economy" class and upgraded "Business Class" with flat beds.
In July 2019, El Al stopped its dedicated cargo flights and retired its last cargo plane. It now uses other airlines for cargo services.
In March 2020, El Al had to stop most flights because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It even changed some of its Dreamliner planes to carry medical supplies from China to Europe. El Al also flew special flights to bring Israeli citizens home who were stuck abroad. These included the first-ever non-stop flights from Israel to Australia!
In July 2020, El Al faced big financial losses due to the pandemic. The Israeli government helped with a special deal, and a private buyer, Eli Rozenberg, bought a large part of the company in September. The new owners plan to focus on being on time and improving food services.
In April 2022, El Al started direct flights between Tel Aviv and Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt. In October 2023, due to the Israel-Hamas war, El Al received special permission to fly on Shabbat, something it had not done for over 40 years.
Company Information
Headquarters
El Al's main office is located at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. In 2022, El Al also announced it would move its U.S. headquarters from New York to Miami.
How El Al Operates
In 2005, El Al flew 3.5 million passengers. About 60% of its passengers are Israeli.
El Al spends a lot of money each year on security measures, which are required by Israel's security service. In 2007, El Al invested in two new Boeing 777-200 planes with updated designs and better seats with touch-screen entertainment systems.
El Al also has a cargo division called El Al Cargo, which became a separate company in 1997. It transports goods between Tel Aviv, Liège, and New York, and also does special cargo flights around the world.
On its flights, El Al provides safety videos with Hebrew voiceovers and Arabic subtitles, followed by an English version. As mentioned, El Al usually does not fly during the Jewish Sabbath. This tradition has only been broken twice in the airline's history, both times during wars (in 1982 and 2023).
El Al's Sister Companies
Borenstein Caterers
This company, owned by El Al, makes and supplies kosher meals to airlines and other places, mainly from New York's JFK airport.
Sun d'Or
Sun D'Or is a company fully owned by El Al. It organizes tourist trips and sells charter and scheduled flights. Since 2011, Sun d'Or no longer uses its own planes or crew but uses planes and crew from El Al.
Superstar Holidays
Superstar, also owned by El Al, is a travel company that sells vacation packages and discounted airline tickets.
Tamam
Tamam, another El Al company, focuses on making and supplying kosher meals for airline companies.
Former Airline: Up
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In 2013, El Al launched a low-cost airline called Up. It started flying in March 2014 to cities like Berlin and Prague, using five Boeing 737-800 planes from El Al. Up was created to offer cheaper flights on some European routes. All Up flights were actually operated by El Al.
Up stopped flying on October 14, 2018. All its routes and planes were then brought back into the main El Al airline.
Security Measures
Because El Al has been a target for terrorism, it uses very strict security procedures. These procedures take time, but they have made El Al known as one of the world's most secure airlines. In 2008, Global Traveler magazine even called it the most secure airline.
Missile Defense Systems
Since the early 2000s, El Al planes have been equipped with systems to protect against anti-aircraft missiles. These systems, like "Flight Guard" and later "C-MUSIC," can detect if a missile is launched and use lasers or other methods to try and stop it.
Airport Security
At Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, both plainclothes and uniformed security agents watch for anything suspicious. Armed security also patrols El Al areas in other countries. Before boarding, every passenger is interviewed individually by trained staff. They ask questions about your trip, where you're from, and if you packed your own bags. This helps identify any potential threats.
At check-in, passports and tickets are carefully checked. Luggage is screened and sometimes searched by hand. Bags are also put into a special chamber that simulates flight pressures to make sure no explosives would be triggered. El Al security agents do all luggage searches themselves, even at airports outside Israel.
Flight Security
On every international El Al flight, there are undercover security agents, sometimes called sky marshals, who carry hidden firearms. Most El Al pilots are former pilots from the Israeli Air Force. The cockpits on all El Al planes have double doors that require a code to open, and the second door only opens after the first one is closed and the pilot has identified the person. There are also strong steel floors between the passenger area and the baggage hold.
Where El Al Flies
El Al flies to cities on four continents in 31 countries. It has a large network in Europe and also serves major cities in North America like New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. In Asia, it flies to places like Bangkok, Mumbai, and Hong Kong.
For a long time, El Al planes could not fly over the airspace of Saudi Arabia and some other Arab countries. This meant their flights to Asia had to take longer routes. However, in September 2020, Saudi Arabia opened its airspace to Israeli planes for the first time, which helps El Al have shorter and cheaper flights to Asia. El Al also flies to Johannesburg in South Africa and Zanzibar.
El Al had planned to start direct flights between Tel Aviv and Melbourne, Australia, which would be its longest direct flight ever. This route was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic but is now planned to start by June 2024. These flights will take about 15 hours to Australia and 17 hours back to Israel.
In June 2022, El Al announced it would stop flights to Toronto, Canada, after over 40 years. It also canceled routes to Brussels and Warsaw. However, in December 2022, El Al started selling tickets for a new route to Tokyo, Japan, which began in March 2023.
Partnerships with Other Airlines
El Al has "codeshare agreements" with many other airlines. This means that you can book a flight with El Al, but part of your journey might be on a plane operated by one of its partner airlines. This helps El Al offer more destinations to its passengers.
- Aerolíneas Argentinas
- Aeroméxico
- Air China
- Air France
- Air Serbia
- Alaska Airlines (ends 30 June 2024)
- Delta Air Lines
- Ethiopian Airlines
- Etihad Airways
- Gulf Air
- Hong Kong Airlines
- Iberia
- JetBlue
- Kenya Airways
- LATAM Brasil
- LOT Polish Airlines
- Porter Airlines
- Qantas
- S7 Airlines
- Scandinavian Airlines
- Swiss International Air Lines
- TAP Air Portugal
- Thai Airways International
- Vietnam Airlines
El Al's Fleet
As of April 2024, El Al uses only Boeing planes. Its fleet includes:
| Aircraft | In Service | Orders | Passengers | Notes/Refs | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | C | P | Y | Total | |||||
| Boeing 737-800 | 16 | — | — | 16 | — | 150 | 166 | 2 operated under the Sun d'Or brand. Three more to be leased. |
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| Boeing 737-900ER | 8 | — | — | 16 | — | 156 | 172 | ||
| Boeing 777-200ER | 6 | — | 6 | 35 | 34 | 204 | 279 | Currently being reconfigured to 313-seating layout, removing First Class. | |
| — | 28 | 32 | 253 | 313 | In operation since 1 August 2023. | ||||
| Boeing 787-8 | 4 | — | — | 20 | 35 | 183 | 238 | ||
| Boeing 787-9 | 12 | 2 | — | 32 | 35 | 204 | 271 | ||
| — | 1 | — | 30 | 34 | 229 | 293 | Aircraft taken from Air China, retaining its interior configuration | ||
| Total | 46 | 3 | |||||||
Past Planes
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Over the years, El Al has used many different types of planes, including:
- Boeing 707
- Boeing 720
- Boeing 737-200
- Boeing 737-700
- Boeing 747-100, Boeing 747-200, Boeing 747-300, Boeing 747-400
- Boeing 747-400F (cargo)
- Boeing 757-200
- Boeing 767-200ER, Boeing 767-300ER
- Bristol Britannia
- Curtiss C-46 Commando
- Douglas DC-4
- Lockheed Constellation
- McDonnell Douglas MD-11
Plane Colors and Names
El Al's planes used to have a blue stripe and a blue tail with the Israeli flag. The current design has a blue stripe with a silver border that sweeps across the plane. The El Al logo has also been updated slightly.
Most El Al planes are named after Israeli cities, like Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa. Bigger planes are named after larger or more populated cities. The city names are usually near the front of the plane. One special Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is painted in the old 1960s El Al colors to celebrate the airline's 70th anniversary.
Services for Passengers
Frequent Flyer Program
Matmid is El Al's program for frequent flyers. You earn points when you fly with El Al or its partner airlines, stay at partner hotels, or use certain credit cards. These points can be used for free tickets, flight upgrades, or discounts on car rentals and hotels. There are five levels in the Matmid program, from Matmid to Matmid TOP Platinum.
King David Lounges
El Al has special airport lounges called King David Lounges for its premium passengers. There are six of these lounges around the world, including at Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel and major airports in New York, Paris, London, and Los Angeles. These lounges offer drinks, snacks, newspapers, magazines, and usually free Wi-Fi. The lounge at Ben Gurion Airport even has showers and a spa.
Classes of Travel
El Al offers different classes of service on its planes:
- First Class: Available on some Boeing 777-200ER planes. These seats are very spacious and comfortable.
- Business Class: Available on all planes. The seats are different depending on the plane type. On the 787, they are in a 1-2-1 layout and can turn into flat beds.
- Premium Economy Class: Available on larger planes. These seats offer more legroom and comfort than Economy Class.
- Economy Class: Available on all planes. These are the standard seats.
In-flight Entertainment
On Boeing 777-200ERs and Boeing 787s, you'll find personal screens with movies, TV shows, and music. On some Boeing 737s, you can stream entertainment to your own iPad or smartphone using an El Al app.
Accidents and Incidents
El Al has been involved in some incidents and accidents throughout its history. Many of these were related to attempts at terrorism, especially between 1968 and 1990. However, it's important to know that El Al has not lost a passenger on any of its passenger flights since 1955, thanks to its strong security.
Terrorist Incidents
- On July 23, 1968, El Al Flight 426 was hijacked after taking off from Rome and forced to land in Algeria. This was the only successful hijacking of an El Al plane, and everyone was freed safely after 40 days.
- On February 18, 1969, El Al Flight 432 was attacked at Zurich Airport. The copilot was sadly killed, and others were hurt.
- On September 6, 1970, there was an attempted hijacking of El Al Flight 219 after it left Amsterdam. The pilots and security on board stopped the hijackers.
- On August 16, 1972, a bomb exploded in the luggage area of El Al Flight 444 after it took off from Rome. The plane returned safely, and no one was hurt.
- In 1975, there were two failed attempts to destroy an El Al plane at Paris Orly Airport.
- On December 27, 1985, attackers targeted El Al and TWA ticket counters at airports in Rome and Vienna, killing 18 people.
- On April 18, 1986, a bomb plot was stopped at London's Heathrow Airport. A woman was about to board an El Al flight with explosives hidden in her bag.
- On July 4, 2002, a man shot six Israeli passengers at El Al's ticket counter at Los Angeles International Airport, killing two, before he was shot by a security guard. This was later called a terrorist act.
- On November 17, 2002, there was an attempted hijacking on El Al Flight 581 from Tel Aviv to Istanbul. A passenger tried to break into the cockpit but was stopped by security.
Other Accidents
- On November 24, 1951, an El Al cargo plane crashed while landing in Zurich, killing all 6 crew members.
- On July 27, 1955, El Al Flight 402 was shot down by two Bulgarian fighter jets after it flew into Bulgarian airspace by mistake during bad weather. All 58 people on board were killed.
- On October 4, 1992, El Al Flight 1862, a cargo plane, crashed into apartment buildings in Amsterdam shortly after takeoff. The crash was caused by parts of an engine breaking off. The three crew members, one passenger, and 39 people on the ground were killed.
Notable People Who Worked at El Al
Management
- Ephraim Ben-Artzi – Served as El Al CEO from 1956–1967.
- Mordechai Hod – Former Commander of the Israeli Air Force, served as El Al CEO from 1977–1979.
- Eliezer Shkedi – Former Commander of the Israeli Air Force, served as El Al CEO from 2010–2014.
Pilots
- Pinchas Ben-Porat – One of Israel's first pilots.
- Giora Epstein – A famous Israeli Air Force pilot.
- Eliezer Cohen – A politician.
- Yoav Kish – A politician.
- Abie Nathan – A humanitarian and peace activist.
Flight Attendants
- Gali Atari – A singer and actress.
- Janna Gur – A food writer.
- Miki Haimovich – A television presenter.
- Adir Miller – An actor and comedian.
- Sara Netanyahu – The wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
- Alma Zack – An actress.
Images for kids
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1951 British mechanic's residence permit for Israel – El Al worker.
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A 1951 El Al pilot's early Israeli passport.
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Flag of EL AL
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Logo from 1960s
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A small El Al aircraft at Schneider Children's Medical Center in Petakh Tikva.
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An El Al Boeing 707 at Orly Airport, Paris in 1965.
See also
- Transport in Israel
