Page 57 - World Airnews Magazine January 2021 Edition

NEWS

ISRAELI CARRIERS LOOK TO

MOROCCO

Approximately 50,000 Israelis already Gulf carriers are already flying to Ben
travel to Morocco every year. That number Gurion Airport at Tel Aviv. Dubai-based
Following the UAE, Bahrain, and Sudan, includes tourists and many Israelis of flyDubai has started running regular
Morocco is the fourth Arab nation Israel Moroccan origin. Direct air links will make services between Dubai and Tel Aviv.
has “normalised” ties with this year. that trip easier. Emirates is planning to start flying to Tel
While there were extensive under-the-ra- There’s no reason to believe the Aviv in early 2021.
dar ties between the two countries in comments by Israir and El Al are simply As far as Eithad is concerned the Abu
the lead-up to last week’s declaration, hot air. Both airlines were quick to jump Dhabi-based airline is slated to start flights
there were no direct flights, and the on opportunities created by establishing to Israel in late March.
announcement provides some clear air for official relations with Bahrain and the The quick uptake on flights between the
direct flights to begin between Morocco United Arab Emirates. Gulf cities and Tel Aviv suggests airlines
and Israel. Last year El Al said it would start flying won’t be shy about swiftly moving onto
“We’re talking about re-formalising 14 times a week to Dubai from mid-De- routes between Israel and Morocco.
the relations between the countries to cember. More recently, the airline has also While last week’s normalisation of ties
the relations we had because there have announced a deal with Bahrain flag carrier between Israel and Morocco stands to
been relations the entire time. They never Gulf Air to start flying to Manama from benefit El Al and Israir, Morocco’s home-
stopped,” Moroccan Foreign Minister January 7. grown airline, Royal Air Maroc, also stands
Nasser Bourita told a newspaper. Israir’s first flight to Dubai landed just to gain.
The Israir CEO, Uri Sirkis, was reported in two weeks ago. Like El Al, Israir will run 14 The Casablanca-based airline recently
The Jerusalem Post as saying, “If all parties flights a week to Dubai. joined oneworld and is fast emerging as
are serious, it will be possible to open one of Africa’s best airlines.
direct lines within three months.” NOT JUST ISRAELI AIRLINES SET TO Seeing it head to Tel Aviv could allow for
The same newspaper reported that El Al BENEFIT some clever multi-city oneworld itineraries
was also looking at running flights between It’s not just Israeli airlines benefiting from around the Mediterranean.
Israel and Casablanca, Morocco, saying the detente between Israel and many of its Meanwhile, neither El Al nor Israir have
the flights would prove popular amongst neighbors. laid down a definitive start date for flights
Israelis. between Israel and Morocco. Q

NEWS

A RETURN TO MALTA

Alitalia's Airbus A330 has hardly been seen at Malta International Airport this year.
This widebody EI-EJP "Michelangelo Buonarroti" visited the island on 11th December
2020 as AZA9470 flying direct from Fiumicino. Photo by Mario Caruana.

World Airnews | January Extra 2020
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