Israir received official approval from the United States Transportation Department (DOT) to operate flights to the United States on Monday—a significant breakthrough in the company’s international expansion efforts.
The approval is temporary and serves as a basis for a permanent license, provided the company meets the high standards expected of it.
The authorization will allow Israir to proceed to the next stage of approvals—full compliance with the regulatory requirements of the FAA and TSA.
A final approval is expected by June 2025, according to the timeline Israir presented to its board of directors.
Israir is working to obtain full regulatory approvals in order to offer customers flights on Airbus A330 aircraft, which will be operated by Israir’s air and maintenance crews on the Tel Aviv–New York route.
The end of El Al’s monopoly?
Throughout the Israel-Hamas war, El Al gained near-monopoly status in Israel and has worked to sustain that position as ceasefire deals have allowed foreign carriers to resume flights to the region.
El Al believed that even as foreign airlines slowly resume their flights, it would be able to compete by appealing to customers as “the Spirit of Israel,” an appeal that Israir may now contest.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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