El Al Unveils New Menus, Amenities, and Digital Services for Passengers

Israeli airline El Al announced on Monday, October 19, a series of passenger service enhancements to be gradually implemented starting in November. These changes will affect onboard dining, sleeping comfort, entertainment, and digital services, with the specific offerings varying by route and ticket class.

In economy class on short European flights, passengers will have a choice between a sandwich or a poke bowl. Premium and business class passengers will experience new menus, tableware, and an expanded selection of dishes and desserts, developed with a dietitian and focusing on high-protein options. The nutritional value of each dish will be listed. Renowned Israeli chef and restaurateur Asaf Granit, whose Paris restaurant Shabour received a Michelin star in 2021, is responsible for the menus in the premium and business classes.

All three classes will receive new blankets and pillows from the Israeli brand TAKEANAP, designed specifically for the airline. Business class will additionally feature memory foam pillows with cooling, pajamas, slippers, and a scent diffuser. For flights to North America, a new seat topper for sleeping will be introduced, a feature El Al claims is a first among Israeli carriers.

Premium and business class passengers will receive updated travel kits created in collaboration with Jo Malone London, available in about ten color variations and including socks, a sleep mask, and toiletries. Business class kits will be in leather cases with Jo Malone cosmetics, and on long-haul flights, also with perfume and hand and body cream. Jo Malone scents will also be used in the cabin. Upon boarding for long-haul business class flights, passengers will be served De Karina chocolate from Kibbutz Ein Zivan in the Golan Heights.

The updated entertainment system will offer personalized movie and series recommendations and allow passengers to resume viewing from where they left off on previous flights. New features include a dedicated content category for religious passengers and a revamped children's interface. Passengers can access their loyalty program accounts via the seatback screen for personal information and trip-related actions.

Starting in 2027, El Al plans to equip its aircraft with Starlink satellite internet, supporting streaming, remote work, and general web browsing, with free access under certain conditions. The airline's app will introduce a "trip mode" to consolidate passenger information 48 hours before departure and Live Activities for real-time notifications. An AI-powered virtual assistant named "Ella" will handle initial inquiries, provide booking details, assist with operations, and direct passengers to human agents when necessary. These service upgrades coincide with the expansion of El Al's fleet, including the acquisition of six Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which offer improved cabin humidity and air pressure for greater passenger comfort on long flights, along with larger electronically dimmable windows and turbulence-dampening systems.