Israir, owned by businessman Rami Levy, has reached a key milestone in its plan to launch direct flights between Israel and New York. Over the weekend, the company’s first Airbus A330 wide-body jet landed at Ben Gurion Airport, while a second A330 is already waiting to join the fleet. The route is scheduled to begin in August, and industry sources say the first commercial flight could be only weeks away if approvals are completed on time.
The aircraft was flown from the United States by an Israir crew led by captains Joel Ben Peretz and Amir Weingarten. Israir bought the two A330s in a deal worth about $85 million. The second plane is currently in Larnaca, in part because of a shortage of parking space for aircraft in Israel.
The arrival marks the start of the final stretch toward authorization for long-haul operations. In the coming weeks, the planes are expected to be used for pilot, maintenance and ground-staff training, along with the remaining licensing checks and regulatory inspections. If the schedule holds, Israir could conduct a proving flight to the United States by the end of the month, one of the last steps before getting approval for the commercial route.
As part of the buildup, the A330s are also expected to operate select Europe flights in July to complete training and build operational experience. Israir, which until now has mainly focused on Europe and Mediterranean vacation destinations, says the New York service would place it alongside other Israeli long-haul carriers and intensify competition on the most sought-after route from Israel. The company also plans future long-haul destinations such as Thailand and Japan. With the new aircraft, Israir’s fleet is expected to reach 18 planes this summer. Ticket sales for New York are expected to open soon, alongside the launch of a joint credit card with Rami Levy and Isracard that will let customers earn dollars for flights and vacation packages.
