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{{featured article}}
{{Infobox Airline
| airline = El Al Israel Airlines
| logo = NewElAlLogo.JPG
| logo_size = 300px
| fleet_size = 37 (+2 orders)
| destinations = 48
| IATA = LY
| ICAO = ELY
| callsign = ELAL
| parent = Knafaim Holdings Ltd. (42%)<br />State of Israel (13%)<BR>Employees Union (8%)<ref name="shares">{{citeweb | url=http://maya.tase.co.il/bursa/report.asp?report_cd=266295 | title=El Al Shareholders | language=Hebrew | accessdate=2007-06-02 | publisher=[[Tel Aviv Stock Exchange]]}}</ref>

| company_slogan = "הכי בבית בעולם"<br />Literally: "The most at home in the world"<br />Translated: "Home away from home"
| founded = 1948
| headquarters = {{flagicon|ISR}} [[Lod]], [[Israel]]
| key_people = Israel "Izzy" Borovich ([[Chairman]])<BR>Haim Romano ([[CEO]])
| hubs = [[Ben Gurion International Airport]]
| secondary_hubs =
| focus_cities =
| frequent_flyer = [[#Matmid Frequent Flyer program|Matmid]]
| lounge = King David Lounge
| alliance =
| subsidiaries = [[Sun D'Or]]<REF>[http://www.elal.com/ELAL/English/AboutElAl/Subsidiaries.htm El Al "Subsidiaries"]</ref>
| website = http://www.elal.com/
}}
[[Image:elal.b777.750pix.jpg|thumb|right|El Al Boeing 777-200ER]]

'''El Al Israel Airlines''' ({{lang-he|אל על}}, ''skyward'') ([[Tel Aviv Stock Exchange|TASE]]: [http://www.tase.co.il/TASEEng/General/Company/companyDetails.htm?companyId=001152 ELAL]) is [[Israel|Israel's]] largest [[airline]] and [[flag carrier]].<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.galbithink.org/topics/ka/priv.htm | title=Divestiture of Flag Carriers | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Galbi Think}}</ref><ref name="antimissiles">{{citeweb | url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=683390&contrassID=1&subContrassID=5 | title=El Al Airlines installs anti-missile systems on passenger aircraft| accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Haaretz|quote=El Al, Israel's national carrier and largest airline|date=[[2006-02-15]]}}</ref> El Al operates regular international passenger and cargo flights between its [[Airline hub|hub]] at [[Ben Gurion International Airport]] in [[Tel Aviv]] and destinations in [[Africa]], [[Asia]], [[Europe]], and [[North America]], as well as local flights to [[Eilat]].<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.elal.co.il/ELAL/English/FlightInfo/FlightSchedule/ | title=El Al Flight Schedule | accessdate=2007-05-28 | publisher= El Al}}</ref>

Since its inaugural flight from Geneva to Tel Aviv in September 1948 the airline has steadily grown to the point where it now serves 48 destinations on four continents.<ref name="History of El Al">{{citeweb | url=http://www.elal.co.il/ELAL/English/AboutElAl/ | title=History of El Al | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=El Al}}</ref> As the national carrier of Israel, El Al has played an important role in Israel's humanitarian rescue efforts, airlifting Jews from [[Ethiopia]], [[Yemen]], and other countries where their lives were at risk. The airline holds the world record for the highest number of passengers on a commercial aircraft, a record set by [[Operation Solomon]] when Jewish refugees were transported from Ethiopia. El Al is considered one of the most secure airlines, after foiling many attempted hijackings and terror attacks through its vigilant security protocols.<ref>{{cite web| title=El Al secure because it must be| url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/meast/07/04/el.al.security/| publisher=CNN| date=[[2002-07-05]]| accessdate=2007-10-23}}</ref><ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/sept11/2001/10/01/elal-usat.htm | title= Unfriendly skies are no match for El Al| publisher=USA Today |date=[[2001-01-10]]|last=Walt|first=Vivienne| accessdate=2007-04-29 }}</ref>

==History==
===Early years===

In September 1948 [[Israel]]'s first [[President of Israel|president]], [[Chaim Weizmann]], attended a conference in [[Geneva]], [[Switzerland]]. Weizmann was scheduled to fly back to Israel in a government aircraft<!--Swiss government?-->, but due to an embargo imposed on Israel at the time, this was not possible. A [[C-54]] military transport aircraft was instead converted into a civilian plane to transport Weizmann home. The aircraft was painted with the '''El Al/Israel National Aviation Company''' logo and fitted with extra fuel tanks to enable a non-stop flight from Geneva to Israel. It departed from [[Tel Nof Israeli Air Force Base|Ekron Air Base]] on [[September 28]], and returned to Israel on [[September 30]]. After the flight, the aircraft was repainted and returned to military use.<ref name="answers">{{citeweb | url=http://www.answers.com/topic/el-al-israel-airlines-ltd | title=El Al Company History | accessdate=2007-05-27 | publisher=Answers.com Premium Partner}}</ref>

The airline was incorporated and became Israel's official carrier on [[15 November]] [[1948]], although it used borrowed aircraft until February 1949, when two unpressurised [[DC-4]]s were purchased from [[American Airlines]]. The acquisition was funded by the [[Politics of Israel|Israeli government]], the [[Jewish Agency for Israel|Jewish Agency]], and other Jewish organizations. The first plane arrived at [[Ben Gurion International Airport|Lod Airport]] on [[April 3]], [[1949]]. Aryeh Pincus, a lawyer from [[South Africa]], was elected head of the company. The first international flight, from [[Tel Aviv]] to [[Paris]] (refueling in [[Rome]]), took place on [[July 31]], [[1949]].<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/13400/edition_id/259/format/html/displaystory.html | title=El Al flies to rescue throughout the world | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Jewish News Weekly of Northern California|last=Kanon|first=Sharon|date=[[2000-04-07]]}}</ref><ref name="answers" /> By the end of 1949, the airline had flown passengers to [[London]] and [[Johannesburg]]. A regular service to London was inaugurated in the middle of 1950. Later that year, El Al acquired Universal Airways, which was owned by South African Zionists. A state-run domestic airline, [[Arkia Israel Airlines|Israel Inland Airlines]], was founded in which El Al had a 50% stake.<!--when?--><ref name="answers" />

El Al's cargo service was inaugurated in 1950 and initially relied on military surplus [[C-46]] aircraft. The same year the airline initiated charter services to the [[USA]], followed by scheduled flights soon afterwards.<ref name="answers" /> From its earliest days the operation of the airline in keeping with Jewish tradition has been a source of friction; when the Israeli prime minister [[David Ben Gurion]] was forming his first coalition the religious parties would not join unless Ben Gurion promised that El Al would serve only [[kosher]] food on its flights and would not fly on the [[Shabbat|Jewish Sabbath]].<ref name="shabbat">{{citeweb | url=http://web.archive.org/web/20010222124207/http://www.jewishgates.org/history/modhis/elal.stm | title=El-Al, Israel's Airline | accessdate=2007-05-27 | publisher=Gates of Jewish Heritage}}</ref>
[[Image:El Al ocean ad.png|thumb|El Al's 1958 ad promoting non-stop transatlantic services]]

As the national carrier, the airline was involved in several covert operations.<!--that doesn't necessarily follow--> In the early 1950s, El Al airlifted over 160,000 immigrants to Israel from [[History of the Jews in India|India]], [[History of the Jews in Iran|Iran]], [[History of the Jews in Iraq|Iraq]] and [[Yemenite Jews|Yemen]] as part of [[Operation Magic Carpet (Yemen)|Operation Magic Carpet]] and [[Operation Ezra and Nehemiah]].<ref name="History of El Al" /> In 1960, [[Nazi]] war criminal [[Adolf Eichmann]] was captured and flown from Argentina to Israel on an El Al aircraft.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,874118-2,00.html | title=The Beast in Chains | publisher=Time Magazine | date=[[1960-06-06]]| accessdate=2007-06-20}}</ref>

In 1955, after using unreliable and noisy [[Lockheed Constellation]]s for several years, the airline purchased two [[Bristol Britannia]] aircraft. El Al was the second airline in the world to fly this plane, after the [[British Overseas Airways Corporation]]. In 1958, El Al ran a newspaper advertisement in the US featuring a picture of a "shrunken" Atlantic Ocean ("Starting Dec. 23, the Atlantic Ocean will be 20% smaller") to promote its non-stop [[transatlantic]] flights.<REF>{{cite news| url=http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:uff0IpxEuXsJ:www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,937575,00.html%3Fiid%3Dchix-sphere+%22el+al%22+advertisement+1958&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=8&client=firefox-a | title=Adman's Adman | accessdate=2007-05-28 | publisher=Time Magazine| date=[[1958-03-31]]}}</ref> This was a bold step: the airline industry had never used images of the ocean in its advertising because of the widespread public fear of airline crashes. The advertisement, which ran only once, proved effective. Within a year, El Al's sales tripled.<ref>{{Citeweb | url=http://www.ciadvertising.org/studies/student/98_fall/theory/weirtz/doyle.htm | title=Doyle Dane Bernbach | accessdate=2007-05-28}}</ref>

===Expansion in the 1960s===

Despite the purchase of its Britannias and inauguration of non-stop transatlantic flights the airline remained unprofitable.<!--we didn't know it was unprofitable before--><ref name="answers" /> When Efraim Ben-Arzi took over the company in the late 1950s, the Britannias were replaced by [[de Havilland Comet|de Havilland Comet 4]], [[Boeing 707]], and [[Douglas DC-8]] jets. The first year that El Al turned a profit was 1960. That year, more than 50 percent of the passengers flying into Israel arrived on El Al flights.<ref name="answers" /> On [[15 June]] [[1961]], the airline set a world record for the longest non-stop commercial flight: an El Al [[Boeing 707]] flew from Tel Aviv to [[New York]], covering {{convert|5760|nmi|km|0}} in 9 hours and 33 minutes.<ref name="History of El Al" />
By this time El Al was carrying 56,000 passengers a year - on a par with [[Qantas]] and ahead of established airlines like [[Loftleidir]]. In 1961, El Al ranked 35th in the world in the number of accumulated passenger miles.<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Commercial_Aviation/ElAl/Tran25.htm | title=El Al, the Israeli Airline | accessdate=2007-05-28 | publisher=US Centennial of Flight}}</ref>
El Al's success continued into the late 1960s. In 1968, regular flights to [[Bucharest]] were inaugurated, and cargo flights began to Europe and the USA. The airline also established a catering subsidiary, Teshet Tourism and Aviation Services Ltd. All these ventures brought in a profit of $2 million that year.<ref name="answers" />

===Hijacking and terrorism===

In 1968, El Al experienced the first of many acts of terrorism against the airline. On [[July 23]], the first and only successful hijacking of an El Al aircraft took place, when a 707 carrying 10 crew and 38 passengers was taken over by three members of the [[Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine]] (PFLP). The aircraft was en route from Rome to [[Lod]]. The hijackers diverted it to [[Algiers]]. Bargaining with the hijackers went on for 40 days. Both the hijackers and the passengers, including 21 Israeli hostages, were eventually freed.<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,942267-2,00.html | title=Drama of the Desert: The Week of the Hostages | date=[[1970-09-21]]|accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=TIME}}</ref> On [[December 26]] of the same year, two PFLP terrorists attacked an El Al aircraft at [[Athens Airport]], killing an Israeli mechanic.<ref name="TVNZ"/> The [[Israeli Defense Forces]] retaliated on [[December 29]] with a night-time raid on Lebanon's [[Beirut Airport]], destroying 14 planes on the ground belonging to [[Middle East Airlines]], [[Trans Mediterranean Airways]] and [[Lebanese International Airways]].<REF>{{cite web
|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/dblist.php?Country=OD
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On [[18 February]] [[1969]], Palestinians attacked an El Al plane at [[Zurich Airport]] killing the copilot and injuring the pilot. One Palestinian attacker was killed and others were convicted but later released.<ref name="idiots">{{cite book |last=Bard |first=Mitchell Geoffrey |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Middle East Conflict |year= |publisher=Alpha Books |location= |isbn= }}</ref> Between September and December 1969, bomb and grenade attacks occurred at El Al offices in [[Athens]], [[Berlin]], and [[Brussels]].<ref name="idiots" /> This wave of violence culminated in the failed hijacking of an El Al 707 by [[Patrick Arguello]] and [[Leila Khaled]] on [[September 6]] [[1970]], as part of the [[Dawson's Field hijackings]].<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=15456 | title=The Day a New Terrorism Was Born | date=[[2006-02-24]]|last=Tugend|first=Tom|accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Jewish Journal}}</ref>

===1970s and 1980s===
[[Image:El Al 707 at Zurich 1982.jpg|thumb|right|An El Al [[Boeing 707]] at [[Zurich Airport]] in 1982.]]

El Al acquired its first [[Boeing 747]] in 1971. Many felt it was a risky purchase,<!--who are those many?--> given the high cost of the plane and fear of attacks, but El Al operations flourished after the purchase. Another 747 was delivered in 1973 and was used to inaugurate non-stop service from Tel Aviv to New York. In the air for 13 hours, and flying against prevailing winds, it was recorded as the longest commercial flight in the world.<!--presumably been overtaken now?--><ref name="answers" />

In the mid-1970s, El Al began to schedule flights from airports outside of Israel that departed on the [[Shabbat|Jewish sabbath]] and landed in Israel after it had finished. The religious parties in the government claimed that this was a violation of Jewish law and contrary to the agreement signed in the early days of the state, in which El Al promised to refrain from flying on the sabbath. In 1981, the newly re-elected prime minister [[Menachem Begin]], promised to abide by the agreement. Outraged, the secular community threatened to boycott the airline. In August 1982, El Al workers blocked Orthodox and Hassidic Jews from entering the airport.<ref name="shabbat" />

In 1977, El Al established a charter subsidiary then known as El Al Charter Services Ltd., but later renamed [[Sun D'Or|Sun D'Or International Airlines Ltd]]. Two years earlier, the airline had suffered its first losses since the late 1950s, largely a product of the global recession. The management changed three times towards the end of the 1970s, until Itzhak Shander was named president.<!--until? It changes again in 1982. This could be explained better--> As the political situation in Iran deteriorated, El Al began to airlift Jews to Israel. All the airline's infrastructure in Iran was eventually destroyed.<ref name="answers" />
El Al flights to [[Cairo]] were inaugurated in April 1980, following the [[Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty]].<ref name="History of El Al" /> In late 1982, after a long period of labor disputes and strikes, El Al operations were suspended. The government appointed Amram Blum to run the company, which lost $123.3 million in the fiscal year ending April 1983.<!--appointed before or after the loss?--><ref name="answers" /> The airline also sold its stake in [[Arkia]] at this time.<ref>{{Citeweb | url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/israel/sde_dov.htm | title=Sde Dov/Tel Aviv | accessdate=2007-05-27 | publisher=Global Security}}</ref>

Operations resumed in January 1983 under [[receivership]]. The government purchased two new [[Boeing 737]] aircraft and announced plans to acquire four [[Boeing 767]] jets at the cost of $200 million. Within four years, El-Al was profitable again.<ref name="answers" /> It broke another record, since then surpassed, in May 1988 with a non-stop flight from [[Los Angeles]] to Tel Aviv, a journey of {{convert|7000|nmi|km|-2}} in 13 hours and 41 minutes.<!--what was the record? longest flight? quickest flight?--><ref name="History of El Al" /> Flights to Poland and Yugoslavia were inaugurated in 1989.<ref name="answers" />

===1990s and early 2000s===
[[Image:elal.b747.750pix.jpg|thumb|right|El Al Boeing 747-200 as operated in the 1970s to 1990s]]

In January 1990, [[North American Airlines]] began providing [[feeder service]]s in the US to El Al [[aviation gateway|gateways]]. El Al held a 24.9 percent stake in the airline until selling it back to Dan McKinnon in July 2003. By this time, El Al was operating a fleet of 20 aircraft, including nine Boeing 747s, and had begun replacing its aging Boeing 707s with the [[Boeing 757]]. Early that year, following the collapse of the [[Soviet Union]], El Al inaugurated regular flights to [[Moscow]]. No airlifts from the former Soviet Union were possible at the time but permission was granted in 1991. Charter flights commenced in August 1991, with immigrants also occupying all available seats on El Al's scheduled routes. In cooperation with [[Aeroflot]], El Al flew more than 400,000 Jewish immigrants to Israel within a three year period.<ref name="answers" /><ref>
{{cite news
| title= El Al flies olim on first direct charter
| publisher=The Jerusalem Post
| url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/jpost/access/99706558.html?dids=99706558:99706558&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Nov+28%2C+1991&author=HERB+KEINON&pub=Jerusalem+Post&edition=&startpage=14&desc=EL+AL+FLIES+OLIM+ON+FIRST+DIRECT+CHARTER
| date= [[1991-11-28]]
| accessdate=2007-05-31
| first=Herb
| last=Keinin}}</ref>

On [[24 May]] [[1991]], an El Al [[Boeing 747]] airlifted a record-breaking 1,087 [[Beta Israel|Ethiopian Jews]] from [[Addis Ababa]] to Israel under the framework of [[Operation Solomon]].<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110426/records/records1.html | title=Aviation World Records | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Think Quest}}</ref> Flights were inaugurated to the [[Far East]] and, in 1995, El Al signed its first [[codesharing agreement]] with [[American Airlines]].<ref name="answers" /> In February 1995, the receivership under which the airline had technically been operating since 1982 came to an end.<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/3508/edition_id/62/format/html/displaystory.html | title=El Al Airlines posts $15 million profits | accessdate=2007-05-07| date=[[1996-04-26]] | publisher=Jewish Bulletin Online}}</ref> In June 1996, El Al recorded another milestone: its first flight from Israel to [[Amman]], [[Jordan]].<ref name="History of El Al" />

[[Image:Operation Solomon.jpg|thumb|right|Ethiopian Jews boarding El Al aircraft during Operation Solomon]]

In 1996, El Al recorded $83.1 million in losses, due to the resumption of terrorist activities and the government's open-skies policy.<ref name="answers" /> To keep its planes flying during this period, El Al introduced flights "to nowhere": passengers were offered various kinds of in-flight entertainment as the plane circled the Mediterranean. One-day shopping trips to London and visits to religious sites in eastern Europe were also promoted.<ref name="answers" />

In 1997, El Al opened a separate cargo division.<!--it already had one, didn't it?--><ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.elal.co.il/ELAL/English/ELALCargo/ | title=El Al Cargo Profile | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=El Al}}</ref> El Al's first [[Boeing 777]] embarked on its maiden flight in March 2000. Later that year the controversy over flights on Shabbat erupted again, when the airline announced that it was losing $55 million a year by grounding its planes on Saturdays. After the first phase of the long-delayed privatization of the company commenced in June 2003 and 15 percent of El Al's shares were listed on the [[Tel Aviv Stock Exchange]] the policy regarding sabbath flights was expected to change.<ref name="History of El Al" /><ref name="shabbat" />

In 2004 Knafaim-Arkia Holdings, the parent company of [[Arkia Israel Airlines]], acquired a large stake in Arkia and intended to seek full ownership.<ref name="History of El Al" /><ref name="shabbat" /> However, due to Israeli anti-trust laws, Knafaim-Arkia was forced to sell its shares.<!--explain what relevance this has. El Al sold its stake in Arkia in 1983.--><REF>{{cite news
|url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=692866
|title=Arkia-Nakash deal to close today
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===El Al today===
[[Image:elal.jpg|thumb|right|New El Al Boeing 777 airplane is welcomed with flowers after landing at Ben Gurion airport on 26 July 2007. El Al named the new B777 airplane 'Sderot' after the town north of the Gaza strip that is been frequently targeted by Palestinian militants using "Qassam" rockets.]]

As of 2007, the company employs 5,417 staff globally and has a fleet of over 30 aircraft.<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.actionbase.com/userFiles/caseStudies1_file.PDF | title=ActionBase Implementation - A Case Study | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Action Base}}</ref>
During 2005 the airline transported 3.5 million passengers, a rise from 3.2 million in 2004 and 2.8 million in 2003.<ref>
{{cite web
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In 2006, El Al posted a $44.6 million dollar loss on revenues of $1.665 billion.<REF>[http://www.standardpoors.co.il/companies.asp?pageID=2&CleanFormat=0&companyID=118&section=4&FDTab=1 Standard & Poor's El Al Income Statement Data]</ref> The company is facing four lawsuits, two of which have been approved as [[class action]]s, that could potentially cost the company a total of $176.2 million.<!--when?--><ref>{{cite news|last=Blumenkratz|first=Zohar|title=What irks El Al passengers|work=Haaretz|url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ArticleContent.jhtml?itemNo=868289|date=[[2007-06-07]]|accessdate=2007-06-19}}</ref> El Al spends $100 million a year to conform with the airline security measures required by Israel's [[Shin Bet]] security service.<ref>{{cite news
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| title = Business in Brief- Transport minister: El Al to be compensated for surrendering its monopoly
| url = http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/873062.html
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}}</ref> In early 2007, El Al opened a new [[King David Lounge]] at [[Charles de Gaulle Airport]]. New lounges at [[Heathrow Airport]] and [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]] are expected to open in late 2007.<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3352956,00.html | title=El Al opens King David lounge in Paris | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Ynet News |date=[[2007-01-16]]|last= Zimmerman|first=Dana}}</ref>

In 2007, El Al invested NIS 1 billion in the purchase of two new Boeing 777-200s. The aircraft are fitted with upgraded seats and touch-screen entertainment systems. The first aircraft, christened "Sderot", completed its maiden voyage from New York to Tel Aviv on [[26 July]] [[2007]]. The second, "Kiryat Shmona", was delivered at the end of August 2007.<ref>{{cite web | title=El-Al Adds Flights and Improves its Flight Schedule| url=http://www.tour-guides.co.il/itg/article.php?id=74| publisher=itg-Israel's travel guide| date=[[2007-09-17]]| accessdate=2007-10-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title=El Al's Ace in the Hat: The Boeing 777| url=http://www.infolive.tv/en/infolive.tv-10224-israelnews-el-als-ace-hat-boeing-777| publisher=infolive.tv| date=[[2007-07-31]]| accessdate=2007-10-20}}</ref> As of March 2007, El Al's major shareholders are Knafaim Holdings (42%), the [[State of Israel]] (13%), and the Employee Union (8%).<ref name="shares" />

==Religious issues ==

El Al caters to the needs of religious Jewish passengers flying to and from Israel by serving only [[kosher]] food (under rabbinical supervision; [[Kosher foods|glatt kosher food]] is also available on request). On long-haul flights, passenger-led [[Jewish services|Jewish prayer services]] are held at the back of the plane. El Al does not fly on [[Shabbat]], despite the financial losses that this entails. An estimated 20 to 30 percent of the passengers are [[Haredi Judaism|Haredi]]. This sector tends to fly during specific seasons of the year (before and after [[Jewish holiday]]s), and has certain preferred destinations, such as [[New York City|New York]] and [[Toronto]]. Operating on Shabbat could result in a Haredi boycott that would pose a major financial blow.<ref>{{cite news| title=Potential ultra-Orthodox boycott threatens to cripple El Al airlines |url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/796900.html |date=[[2006-12-05]] |last=Ettinger |first=Yair|publisher=Haaretz| quote=An official boycott could deal a fatal blow to El Al|accessdate=2007-05-27}}</ref> After an airport strike in November 2006, El Al allowed some planes to take off on Shabbat to reduce the backlog. The Haredi community responded with an immediate boycott.<ref>{{cite news| title=Haredim rage over El Al Shabbat flight |url=http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1164881814779 |date=[[2006-12-04]] | last=Wagner |first= Matthew | publisher=The Jerusalem Post | accessdate=2007-05-27}}</ref> On [[5 January]] [[2007]], El Al signed an agreement with the Haredi community that it would not fly on Shabbat.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/810030.html | title=El Al: We are not surrendering to ultra-Orthodox pressure| accessdate=2007-01-05 |publisher=Haaretz|last=Ettinger |first=Yair |date=[[2007-01-06]]}}</ref>

==Accidents and security incidents ==

On [[5 February]] [[1950]], one of El Al's [[DC-4]]s was damaged when it veered off the runway during takeoff in [[Tel Aviv]]. There were no casualties.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19500205-1
|title=ASN Aircraft accident description Douglas C-54A-10-DC 4X-ACD - Lydda Airport (TLV)
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On [[24 November]] [[1951]], a [[DC-4]] on a cargo flight from Tel Aviv to Amsterdam crashed on approach to [[Zürich Airport]], killing 6 crew members.<!--Zurich isn't Amsterdam, what was it doing there?--><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19511124-0
|title=ASN Aircraft accident description Douglas DC-4 4X-ADN - Zürich-Kloten
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On [[27 July]] [[1955]], [[El Al Flight 402]], a [[Lockheed Constellation]], was shot down over [[Bulgaria]] after it strayed into Bulgarian airspace. All 58 passengers and crew were killed.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,807400,00.html|publisher=Time Magazine|date=[[1955-08-08]]|title=Through the Curtain|accessdate=2007-05-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19550727-0
|title=ASN Aircraft accident description Lockheed L-149 Constellation 4X-AKC - Petrich
|accessdate=2007-05-29
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}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| first = Yossi
| last = Melman
| authorlink =
| author =
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| title = An investigation behind bars
| url =http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasen/pages/ShArtStEngPE.jhtml?itemNo=886367
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</ref>

In February 1970, an El Al plane was attacked at [[Munich Airport]]. The attackers, who had killed one and injured eight of those on board, were caught but released.<ref name="idiots" />

Another terrorist attack was foiled on [[18 April]] [[1986]] in what became known as the [[Hindawi Affair]]. A pregnant Irishwoman named [[Anne Mary Murphy]] was about to board an El Al flight at London's Heathrow Airport when her bag was found to contain three pounds of plastic explosives. The explosives had been planted by her fiancé [[Nezar Hindawi]] who was booked on a different flight. Hindawi was jailed for 45 years, the longest sentence ever delivered by a British court.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article493799.ece | title=El Al bomber too dangerous to release, court rules| publisher=Times Online|date=[[2004-10-13]]|last=Booth|first=Jenny|quote=His sentence of 45 years is believed to be the longest specific jail term ever imposed by an English court.|accessdate=2007-05-23}}</ref> There was evidence that [[Syria]]n officials were involved and as a result, Britain cut off diplomatic relations with Syria.<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.danielpipes.org/article/1064 | title=Terrorism: The Syrian Connection | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Daniel Pipes}}</ref>

On [[27 December]] [[1985]], after several attempts at direct attacks on El Al aircraft had failed, guerrillas of the [[Fatah Revolutionary Council]] [[Rome and Vienna airport attacks|attacked El Al counters]] at Rome and Vienna airports, killing 19 people.<ref name="TVNZ">{{citeweb | url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/425822/113967 | title=A history of El Al incidents | accessdate=2007-05-28 | publisher=One News}}</ref>

On [[4 October]] [[1992]], [[El Al Flight 1862]], a [[Boeing 747|Boeing 747-200F]] cargo plane, crashed into the Groeneveen and Klein-Kluitberg flats in [[Bijlmermeer]], a neighborhood of Amsterdam. The three crew members, one passenger, and 39 people on the ground were killed.<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19921004-2 | title=Accident description El Al 1862 | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Aviation Safety}}</ref>

On [[4 July]] [[2002]], [[Hesham Mohamed Hadayet]] shot six Israelis at El Al's ticket counter at [[Los Angeles International Airport]] before he was shot and killed by an El Al security guard.<ref>{{cite news| title=Los Angeles airport shooting kills 3| url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/07/04/la.airport.shooting/| date=[[2002-07-05]]| publisher=CNN| accessdate=2007-05-28}}</ref> Two of the victims died. Although not linked to any terrorist group, Hadayet, an [[Egypt]]ian, espoused anti-Israeli views and was opposed to US policy in the Middle East.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/West/04/12/airport.shooting/ | title=FBI, Justice: El Al attack was terrorism | date=[[2003-04-12]]| accessdate=2007-04-29 | publisher=CNN}}</ref> The US [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] classified the shooting as a [[terrorist act]], one of the few on US soil since the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]].

On [[23 October]] [[2003]], an El Al Boeing 767 flying from Tel Aviv to Los Angeles via Toronto was diverted to [[Mirabel International Airport]] and then on to [[Hamilton/John C. Munro International Airport|Hamilton Airport]], where [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]] tactical teams were ready. The diversion was the result of a "grave security threat", possibly a planned [[surface-to-air missile]] attack on the aircraft upon landing in Toronto.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.cbc.ca/story/news/national/2003/10/26/pearson_elal031026.html | title=Israeli Flight Lands in Toronto| accessdate=2006-11-12 | publisher=CBC News| date=[[2003-10-27]]}}</ref>

In 2006, the [[Switzerland|Swiss]] [[Attorney General]] reported that seven [[North Africa]]ns had been arrested in connection with a [[Conspiracy (crime)|conspiracy]] to blow up an unspecified El Al flight in December 2005.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1145961375334 | title=Plot to down El Al jet in Geneva foiled | date=[[2006-05-19]]| accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Jerusalem Post}}</ref> At the time of the arrest, El Al's flights between Tel Aviv and London flew over the area<!--which area?--> where a ground-to-air missile had been discovered.

==El Al security==
As a terrorist target for many decades, El Al employs stringent security procedures, both on the ground and on board its aircraft. These effective, though sometimes controversial, procedures have won El Al a reputation for security.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/sept11/2001/10/01/elal-usat.htm | title=
Unfriendly skies are no match for El Al | date=[[2001-01-10]]| last=Walt| first=Vivienne| accessdate=2007-04-29| publisher=USA Today}}</ref>

===Airport security measures===
Passengers are asked to report three hours before departure. All El Al terminals around the world are closely monitored for security. There are plain-clothes agents and fully armed police or military personnel who patrol the premises for explosives, suspicious behavior, and other threats. Inside the terminal, passengers and their baggage are checked by a trained team. El Al security procedures require that all passengers be interviewed individually prior to boarding, allowing El Al staff to identify possible security threats. Passengers will be asked questions about where they are coming from, the reason for their trip, their job or occupation, and whether they have packed their bags themselves. The likelihood of potential terrorists remaining calm under such questioning is believed to be low (see also ''[[Microexpression]]'').<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2001/09/12/israelisecurity.htm | title=Israeli-style security might have averted hijackings | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=USA Today| date=[[2001-09-13]]}}</ref>
At the [[check-in]] counter the passengers' [[passport]]s and [[Airline ticket|ticket]]s are closely examined. A ticket without a sticker from the security checkers will not be accepted. At passport control passengers' names are checked against information from the FBI, [[Canadian Security Intelligence Service]] (CSIS), [[Scotland Yard]], [[Shin Bet]], and [[Interpol]] databases. Luggage is screened and sometimes hand searched. In addition, bags are put through a decompression chamber simulating pressures during flight that could trigger explosives.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.segl.com/xj.php | title=El Al Decompression Chamber | accessdate=2006-07-18 | publisher=Simcoe Engineering Group Limited}}</ref> El Al is the only airline in the world that passes all luggage through such a chamber.<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.israelinsider.com/channels/security/articles/sec_0108.htm | title=El Al's legendary security measures set industry standards | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Israel Insider | date=[[2001-10-03]]}}</ref> Even at overseas airports, El Al security agents conduct all luggage searches personally, even if they are supervised by government or private security firms.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2006-05-12-el-al-security_x.htm | title=El Al wants to do own bag screening at Newark | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=USA Today | date=[[2006-05-12]]}}</ref>

===Flight security measures===
[[Undercover]] agents (sometimes referred to as [[sky marshal]]s) carrying concealed firearms sit amongst the passengers on every international El Al flight.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2097352.stm | title=El Al sets security standards | date=[[2002-07-05]]| accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Most El Al pilots are former [[Israeli Air Force]] fighter pilots, and all El Al flight crew members are trained in hand-to-hand combat. Most El Al employees, male and female, have served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), as Israeli citizens are drafted at the age of 18.<ref name="Security">{{cite news| url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/meast/09/26/rec.el.al.security | title=Model for air travel security may be El Al | date=[[2001-09-26]]| accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=CNN}}</ref>

[[Image:Elal.b777-200.4x-ecd.arp.jpg|thumb|El Al Boeing 777]]

The cockpits in all El Al aircraft have double doors to prevent entry by unauthorized persons. A [[password|code]] is required to access the doors, and the second door will only be opened after the first has closed and the person has been identified by the [[Captain]] or [[First Officer]].<ref name="Security" /> Furthermore, there are reinforced [[steel]] floors separating the [[passenger]] [[cabin (aircraft)|cabin]] from the [[baggage]] hold.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10396216 | title=Flying under the eagle eyes of El Al's famed high security | accessdate=2006-08-15 | publisher=New Zealand Herald|last=Silver |first=Eric| date=[[2006-08-15]]}}</ref> This is intended to strengthen the plane in case of an explosion.

Following an attempt to shoot down an Israeli airliner in 2002,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2552097.stm|title=Kenyan police find Mombasa missiles|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date=December 6, 2002}}</ref> some aircraft in the fleet have been equipped with an [[infrared countermeasures]] system called 'Flight Guard', developed by [[Israeli Aerospace Industries]] to defend them against [[anti-aircraft missile]]s.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.iai.co.il/Default.aspx?docID=25873&FolderID=28973&lang=en&PageNum=3|title=IAI/Elta's "Flight Guard" Commercial Aircraft Protection System Funded|date=September 8, 2003|publisher=[[Israeli Aerospace Industries]]}}</ref> Although comparable systems such as [[CAMPS]] are now available for civilian aircraft, there is no information to date about any other airlines deploying such a system. Switzerland and other European countries have expressed concern that [[Flare (countermeasure)|flares]] dropped by the Israeli system could cause fires in the vicinity of an airport.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3221013,00.html | title=Europe objects to El Al's anti-missile shield | accessdate=2006-11-12 | last=Beck | first=Eldad| date=[[2006-02-26]]| publisher=[[Ynetnews]]}}</ref> However none of the higher risk countries that the El-Al aircraft fly to have raised any concerns.

===Security controversy and passenger profiling===

According to a report published by the [[Center Against Racism]] and the [[Arab Association for Human Rights]] in December 2006, El Al security checks on passengers include racial profiling.<ref name="ArabReport">{{cite web | url=http://www.no-racism.org/arabic/data/publications/AirportReportEnglish.pdf | title=Suspected Citizens: Racial Profiling Against Arab Passengers by Israeli Airlines and Airports | last=Tarek |first=Ibrahim|year=2006| month=December |accessdate=2007-03-01}}</ref> The report goes further to claim that this is unfair, irrational, and degrading to those undergoing the stringent screening procedures.

On the other hand there are those, such as the political analyst [[Daniel Pipes]], who do not consider the policy of passenger profiling to be racist. According to Pipes, "however distasteful, there must be special scrutiny of Muslims in the West for security purposes".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/650 | title=What Security Measures vis-à-vis Western Muslims? | first=Daniel |last=Pipes|authorlink=Daniel Pipes|date=[[2006-08-10]]| accessdate=2007-03-01}}</ref>

The airline was also criticised by the Hungarian courts for refusing to search luggage with the passenger present, acting against Hungarian domestic laws which stipulate that only authorized officials are able to undertake such searches.<Ref name="ArabReport"/>

Stringent security measures have ensured that no El Al aircraft has been successfully hijacked since 1968. Most recently, on [[November 17]], [[2002]], Tawfiq Fukra, a twenty-three-year-old [[Israeli Arab]], attempted to hijack an El Al flight from Tel Aviv to [[Turkey]]. He was reportedly armed with a [[pocket knife]] and attempted to break into the cockpit in order to fly the aircraft back to Israel and crash it into a building, but was apprehended by on-board security personnel.<REF>{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2486935.stm
|title=Passengers recall El Al 'hijack' terror
|accessdate=2007-05-30
|accessdaymonth=
|accessmonthday=
|accessyear=
|author=
|last=
|first=
|authorlink=
|coauthors=
|date=[[2002-11-18]]
|year=
|month=
|format=
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|publisher=BBC News
|pages=
|language=
|doi=
|archiveurl=
|archivedate=
|quote=
}}</ref> Fukra has denied the charges.<REF>{{cite news
|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F06E0D61738F934A15752C1A9649C8B63&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fH%2fHijacking
|title=Man Denies Trying To Hijack El Al Plane
|accessdate=2007-05-30
|accessdaymonth=
|accessmonthday=
|accessyear=
|author=
|last=Fisher
|first=Ian
|authorlink=
|coauthors=
|date=[[2002-11-27]]
|year=
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|format=
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|publisher=[[The New York Times]]
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}}</ref>
<REF>{{cite news
|url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=633793
|title= El Al hijacker released to house arrest
|accessdate=2007-05-30
|accessdaymonth=
|accessmonthday=
|accessyear=
|author=
|last=Ashkenazi
|first=Eli
|authorlink=
|coauthors=Khoury, Jack
|date=[[2005-10-11]]
|year=
|month=
|format=
|work=
|publisher=[[Haaretz]]
|pages=
|language=
|doi=
|archiveurl=
|archivedate=
|quote=
}}</ref> El Al's security protocol has proven highly effective and is now a model for airlines around the world.<!--Not true, otherwise they would all be doing it. Perhaps parts of it?--><REF>{{cite web
|url= http://www.acm.org/ubiquity/views/v5i34_kabay.html
|title= Airport Safety: A Case Study for Infrastructure Security
|accessdate=2007-05-31
|accessdaymonth=
|accessmonthday=
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|author=
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|publisher=ABM Ubiquity
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}}</ref>

== El Al fleet ==

El Al has an all-[[Boeing]] fleet which consists of the following aircraft. The airline names some of its aircraft after cities, towns, and regions in Israel.<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.blueair.cz/israeli-airlines/el-al/ | title=El Al Fleet | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Blue Air}}</ref> All El Al aircraft offer passengers economy class (Y class) and business class (C class) while El Al's Boeing 747 and 777 aircraft also have first class cabins (F class).

{| class="toccolours sortable" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse"
|+ '''El Al Fleet'''
|- bgcolor=#6495ED
!Aircraft
!Total
!Passengers
!Routes
!Notes
|-
|[[Boeing 737#737-700|Boeing 737-700]]
|2
|104 (16C/88Y)
|Domestic, Europe
|4X-EKD ([[Ashkelon]]), 4X-EKE ([[Nazareth]])
|-
|[[Boeing 737#737-800|Boeing 737-800]]
|6
|142 (16C/126Y)
|Domestic, Europe
|4X-EKA ([[Tiberias]]), 4X-EKB ([[Eilat]]), 4X-EKC ([[Beit She'an]]), 4X-EKI, 4X-EKO, 4X-EKP<br />(4X-EKO and 4X-EKP have winglets)
|-
|[[Boeing 747-400]]
|4
|408 (8F/52C/348Y)
|North America, London
|4X-ELA ([[Tel Aviv]]), 4X-ELB ([[Haifa]]), 4X-ELC ([[Beersheba|Be'er Sheva]]), 4X-ELD ([[Jerusalem]])
|-
|[[Boeing 757#757-200|Boeing 757-200]]
|6
|178 (16C/162Y)
|Domestic, Europe
|4X-EBS, 4X-EBT, 4X-EBU, 4X-EBV<br />(Three additional 757-200s are leased to [[Sun D'Or]]: 4X-EBO, 4X-EBM, and 4X-EBY)
|-
|[[Boeing 767#767-200|Boeing 767-200]]
|2
|
|Europe, Far East
|4X-EAA, 4X-EAB
|-
|[[Boeing 767#767-200ER|Boeing 767-200ER]]
|4
|198 (24C/174Y)
|Europe, Far East, North America
|4X-EAC, 4X-EAD, 4X-EAE, 4X-EAF
|-
|[[Boeing 767#767-300ER|Boeing 767-300ER]]
|3
|234 (24C/210Y)
|Europe, Far East, North America
|4X-EAJ, 4X-EAP, 4X-EAR
|-
|[[Boeing 777#777-200ER|Boeing 777-200ER]]
|6
|283 (6F/40C/237Y)
|North America, Far East, London
|4X-ECA ([[Galilee]]), 4X-ECB ([[Negev]]), 4X-ECC ([[Sharon plain|HaSharon]]), 4X-ECD ([[Mount Carmel|Carmel]]), 4X-ECE ([[Sderot]]), 4X-ECF ([[Kiryat Shmona]])
|-
|[[Boeing 787]]
|(2 orders)
|
|North America, Far East, London
|}

In May 2007, it was announced that El Al reached an agreement to lease six or seven aircraft from [[Boeing]] between 2011 and 2015 after canceling its option to buy eight [[Boeing 787]] aircraft. It is unclear what model these aircraft will be.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/DocView.asp?did=1000208163&fid=1725 | title=El Al, Boeing close to plane lease deal for 2011-15 | publisher=Globes | last=Tal| first=Dalia | date=[[2007-05-03]] |accessdate=2007-05-05}}</ref> Despite this, in July 2007, it was announced that the airline had re-entered negotiations to purchase two 787s.<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/DocView.asp?did=1000229503&fid=1725 | title=El Al to buy 2 Boeing 787s | date=[[2007-07-08]] | accessdate=2007-07-09 | publisher=Globes | last=Tal | first=Dalia}}</ref>

==King David Lounge==
[[Image:BGN LY King David Lounge birdseyeview.jpg|thumb|King David Lounge at Ben Gurion International Airport]]
The [[King David]] Lounge is El Al's [[airport lounge]], serving the airline's premium class passengers. There are a total of five King David Lounges worldwide, located at [[Ben Gurion International Airport]], [[Charles de Gaulle International Airport]], [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]], [[London Heathrow Airport]], and [[Los Angeles International Airport]].<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.elal.co.il/ELAL/English/MatmidFrequentFlyer/AboutTheClub/KingDavidClub.htm | title=El Al King David Lounge | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=El Al}}</ref>

All King David Lounges offer drinks, snacks, newspapers and magazines (Israeli and international). Some lounges offer free [[Wi-Fi]] internet access. The King David Lounge at Terminal 3 of Ben Gurion International Airport has a separate section for first-class passengers, telephones, shower facilities and a spa offering massages.<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.elal.co.il/ELAL/English/AllAboutYourFlight/PremiumClasses/FirstClass/kingDavidLounge.htm | title=El Al King David Lounge Spa | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=El Al}}</ref>

==Livery==

El Al's historic, now superseded [[livery]] featured a turquoise/navy blue stripe down the side of aircraft, and a turquoise tailfin with the [[Flag of Israel|Israeli flag]] at the top. El Al's logo was featured above the front run of windows on each side of the plane in the turquoise/navy scheme.<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=1166039&WxsIERv=Obrvat%20757-258&Wm=0&WdsYXMg=Ry%20Ny%20Vfenry%20Nveyvarf&QtODMg=Zvyna%20-%20Znycrafn%20%28ZKC%20%2F%20YVZP%29&ERDLTkt=Vgnyl&ktODMp=Qrprzore%2024%2C%202006&BP=0&WNEb25u=Raevpb%20Cvreboba%20FcbgVG&xsIERvdWdsY=4K-ROG&MgTUQtODMgKE=&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=973&NEb25uZWxs=2007-01-22%2021%3A01%3A02&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=25036%2F356&static=yes&width=1024&height=694&sok=JURER%20%20%28nvepensg_trarevp%20YVXR%20%27Obrvat%20757%25%27%29%20NAQ%20%28nveyvar%20YVXR%20%27Ry%20Ny%20Vfenry%20Nveyvarf%25%27%29%20%20BEQRE%20OL%20cubgb_vq%20QRFP&photo_nr=10&prev_id=1174285&next_id=1164049 | title=El Al Superseded Livery | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Airliners.net}}</ref> The new livery features a blue stripe with a thick silver border on the bottom that sweeps across the side of the aircraft near the wing, disappears over the top of the plane and reappears at the bottom of the tailfin. The El Al logo is part of the design, although it has been changed slightly since then.<!--and when would then be?--><ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=1206451&WxsIERv=Obrvat%20777-258%2FRE&Wm=0&WdsYXMg=Ry%20Ny%20Vfenry%20Nveyvarf&QtODMg=Ybf%20Natryrf%20-%20Vagreangvbany%20%28YNK%20%2F%20XYNK%29&ERDLTkt=HFN%20-%20Pnyvsbeavn&ktODMp=Sroehnel%204%2C%202007&BP=1&WNEb25u=Fabeer%20-%20INC&xsIERvdWdsY=4K-RPP&MgTUQtODMgKE=&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=732&NEb25uZWxs=2007-05-05%2023%3A30%3A37&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=30833%2F335&static=yes&width=1000&height=678&sok=JURER%20%20%28nveyvar%20%3D%20%27Ry%20Ny%20Vfenry%20Nveyvarf%27%29%20%20BEQRE%20OL%20cubgb_vq%20QRFP&photo_nr=2&prev_id=1206782&next_id=1205415 | title=El Al New Livery | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Airliners.net}}</ref>

<gallery>
Image:ELAL 747-200 4X-AHQ EPWA 24 08 2004.jpg|El Al's superseded livery
Image:Elal.b767.arp.750pix.jpg|El Al's new livery
</gallery>

==Destinations==
{{further|[[El Al destinations]]}}

El Al serves destinations on four continents with a particularly developed network to [[Europe]]. The airline serves a number of gateway [[North America]]n cities and has recently extended its service to include non-stop service to [[Los Angeles]] and [[Miami]]. Over the past few years<!--which past few years are those?--> El Al has expanded its service to cover the [[Far East]] while retaining its limited coverage of [[Africa]].<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.airlineroutemaps.com/West_Asia/El_Al_europe.shtml | title=El Al European Route Map|accessdate=2007-05-07|publisher=Airline Route Maps}}</ref><ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.airlineroutemaps.com/West_Asia/El_Al_international.shtml|title=El Al Worldwide Route Map|accessdate=2007-05-07|publisher=Airline Route Maps}}</ref>

==Codeshare agreements==

As of May 2007, El Al has the following [[codeshare]] partners:<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.elal.co.il/elal/english/aboutelal/codeshare|title=El Al Codeshare Partners|accessdate=2007-05-07|publisher=El Al}}</ref>

{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
* [[Aerosvit Airlines]]
* [[Austrian Airlines]]
* [[Brussels Airlines]]
* [[Bulgaria Air]]
* [[Cyprus Airways]]
* [[Delta Air Lines]]
{{col-break}}
* [[Iberia Airlines]]
* [[Lot Polish Airlines]]
* [[South African Airways]]
* [[Swiss International Air Lines]]
* [[Tandem Aero]]
* [[Thai Airways International]]
{{col-end}}

==Cargo==

El Al has a cargo branch, El Al Cargo, which became independent in 1997. As the national cargo airline of Israel, it operates to destinations in [[Asia]], [[Europe]] and [[North America]]. Before 2001, when the Israeli air cargo market opened up to competition, El Al Cargo enjoyed a monopoly.<ref name="answers" />

====Cargo Fleet====
<center>
{| class="toccolours sortable" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse"
|+'''El Al Cargo Fleet'''
|- bgcolor=#6495ED
!Aircraft
!Total
!Capacity
!Routes
!Notes
|-
|[[Boeing 747#747-200|Boeing 747-200F]]
|4
|Freighters
|Worldwide
|4X-AXF, 4X-AXK, 4X-AXL, 4X-AXM
|-
|}
</center>

==Matmid Frequent Flyer program ==

Matmid is El Al's [[frequent flyer program]]. It was launched in 2004 following the merger of El Al's previous frequent flyer programs. Matmid has four tiers: Matmid, Matmid Silver, Matmid Gold, and Matmid Platinum. Miles accumulated in the program entitle members to bonus tickets, flight upgrades, and discounts on car rentals, hotel stays, and other products and services. Points are also awarded for travel with partner airlines, as well as for nights at partner hotels and for credit card purchases.<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.superstar.de/flyer/News/New%20Matmid%20Club%20Broschure.pdf | title=Matmid Club | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Superstar Travel}}</ref>

===Partnerships===

Matmid points can be collected on most flights operated by:<ref>{{citeweb | url=http://www.elal.co.il/ELAL/English/MatmidFrequentFlyer/BenefitsFromELALPartners/Airlines/AeroMexico.htm | title=El Al Partner Airlines | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=El Al}}</ref>

*[[American Airlines]] and [[American Eagle]]
*[[Delta Air Lines]]
*[[South African Airways]]
*[[Sun D'Or]]
*[[Qantas]]

Some flights operated by the following airlines qualify for points:

*[[Aeroméxico]] flights from Madrid, Miami, New York, and Paris, to Mexico City

Points can also be collected on El Al's [[El Al#Codeshare agreements|codeshare]] flights.



==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

== See also ==
*[[Sun D'Or|Sun D'Or International Airlines]]

==External links==

*[http://www.elal.com/ELAL/English/States/General Official site]
*[http://www.planespotters.net/Airline/El-Al-Israel-Airlines Fleet Detail]
*[http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/El%20Al.htm Fleet Age]

{{Airlines of Israel}}
{{Transportation in Israel}}
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[[Category:Airlines established in 1948]]
[[Category:El Al]]
[[Category:Airlines of Israel]]
[[Category:Companies listed on TASE]]

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Revision as of 16:26, 23 October 2007

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