Arkia CEO Calls This Summer One of the Cheapest Despite Operational Delays at Ben Gurion Airport

Arkia Airlines CEO Oz Berlovitz described the current summer travel season as one of the cheapest in recent years, despite operational challenges causing flight delays at Ben Gurion Airport. Berlovitz attributed the delays to ongoing operational issues at the airport but emphasized that the airline is taking full responsibility. He acknowledged criticism but noted that some reports are inaccurate.

Berlovitz highlighted that Arkia is offering significant discounts on many flights, targeting spontaneous travelers and those who had not planned trips in advance. He also mentioned attractive hotel prices accompanying these deals. Despite initial expectations of a costly summer in aviation, demand has remained strong, particularly for holiday travel, although current bookings for the upcoming holidays are still below forecasts. The airline plans to stimulate demand further with additional promotions.

The CEO pointed out a notable surge in demand for flights to Georgia, especially Tbilisi, driven by ski tourists. He expressed hope that Israeli airlines will soon resume flights to Dubai, aiming for a September restart. Arkia recently resumed flights to Morocco, with a flight to Marrakesh departing this week amid high demand, as many Israelis previously traveled there via indirect routes.

Looking ahead, Arkia plans to launch a loyalty program that will reward customers with points equivalent to their spending on Arkia flights, redeemable for other company products. The operational systems for this program are already in place, and a logo has been designed. Berlovitz also justified Arkia's decision to operate flights on Saturdays, citing business reasons.

Overall, Berlovitz conveyed cautious optimism about the airline’s performance and the travel market, emphasizing responsibility and proactive measures to improve service and customer engagement.