Desperate times call for desperate measures, as Israel’s flag carrier will be operating flights on a Saturday for the first time in over 40 years.
In this post:
EL AL’s tradition of not operating flights over Shabbat
Since 1982, EL AL Israel Airlines has had a policy of not operating flights over Shabbat (from Friday evening until Saturday night). When you look at the carrier’s schedule, you’ll always notice a gap of well over 24 hours, as planes on the ground in Israel will stay there, while planes at outstations will simply be parked there for 24+ hours.
It goes without saying that economically and logistically, this is a really challenging policy. Planes don’t make money when they’re parked, so the airline basically has 15% less time than competitors to generate revenue. Given the razor thin margins in the airline industry, that’s a major hit to the carrier’s bottom line.
Furthermore, the logistics are complicated. It’s not just that you can’t schedule flights over Shabbat, but you have to add quite a buffer, to account for any irregular operations. Whether it’s a weather delay, or a maintenance issue, the airline refuses to operate over that period.
In the past, we’ve even seen some EL AL flights divert in order to avoid being in the air over Shabbat. That’s how seriously the airline takes this policy.
EL AL operating Saturday flights from New York & Bangkok
Along those lines, this is going to be quite an unusual weekend for Israel’s largest airline. EL AL has announced that on Friday, October 13, 2023, the airline will operate flights from New York (JFK) and Bangkok (BKK). These flights will be in the air over Shabbat.
These services are specifically being operated for the return of fighters with Order 8 and Security and Rescue Forces. These flights will be free of charge for eligible passengers, and are co-funded by EL AL and American financial institutions.
EL AL emphasizes that it hasn’t flown on a Saturday in over 40 years, and has been worried to preserve this status line. The airline states that these flights are defined as “soul supervision,” and received all the relevant Halacic certifications.
Bottom line
For the first time in 41 years, EL AL will be operating flights over Shabbat. The airline will be operating flights on Friday from New York and Bangkok to Tel Aviv, which violate the carrier’s traditional policies. In this case the airline is offering tickets free of charge to bring reservists back to Israel.
God bless and protect the State of Israel, her people, and the IDF. For every action, there is a reaction. El Al is doing what it needs to do. Under normal circumstances this would not happen! I’m in Florida, USA and continue to pray for Israel. I was there in April and loved celebrating her 75 birthday, and Memorial Day for IDF members lost. Prayerful Yad Vashem will not have to add a wing for thus horrific, inexcusable atrocity.
Bomb and kill as many women & children as you can! Is that an Israeli motto or Hamas? BOTH are Guilty, just one difference, one has the latest & most Lethal weapons in the world and US & Western world supports them, the other party has nothing to Lose!
Actually no El Al Flight left New York JFK on Friday October 13. The only flight leaving New York for Tel Aviv was a charter flight , not El Al , and the cost was covered by individual sponsors.
The Rosenberg family are crooks who mismanaged and stole from their company of nursing home and their residents.
The fact that El Al did fly on the Sabbath until 1982 is a reminder that until the 1973 war (Anwar Saddat's attempt to undo the losses of the 1967 war) there was plenty of tribal hostility in the region, but religion (more resistant to compromise) and culture were not such driving forces.
The 1973 oil embargo and resulting sharp rise in the oil price caused enormous amounts of money to flow to Saudi...
The fact that El Al did fly on the Sabbath until 1982 is a reminder that until the 1973 war (Anwar Saddat's attempt to undo the losses of the 1967 war) there was plenty of tribal hostility in the region, but religion (more resistant to compromise) and culture were not such driving forces.
The 1973 oil embargo and resulting sharp rise in the oil price caused enormous amounts of money to flow to Saudi Arabia which exported Wahabism around the Muslim world, the Iranian clerics took power, and the ultra-orthodox Jews pushed Israel to be more restricted by religion.
Photographs from the early and mid 1970s show Gulf Arab businessmen in business suits in their home countries, indistinguishable from Europeans and Americans - now they would never wear such dress there.
Preservation of human life, transcends most of the Sabbath prohibitions.
Except in your opinion only Israeli lives matter clearly, because those people are going to murder and genocide Palestinian lives.
In the days before the lunatics took over the asylum, LY used to operate as follows on Shabbat between LHR and TLV (and I've been on both of these legs):
- outbound, 'Special Flight' 017, morning departure from TLV, lunchtime arrival at LHR;
- return, LY 316, departing around 1500hrs, arriving TLV 2030hrs, say (but, critically, after Shabbat was finished).
There were plenty of similar flights to/from other points on LY's network.
As an Israeli citizen, I don’t need Europe nor America support my actions. The EU is a dwindling entity and sadly has no muscle on the global military, economic and political front these days. Not to mention, Europe is the reason for our problems today during the founding of Israel and during the precise extermination of my people. Had Germans not the sovereignty of other nations, Europeans were happy to see my people die. It’s...
As an Israeli citizen, I don’t need Europe nor America support my actions. The EU is a dwindling entity and sadly has no muscle on the global military, economic and political front these days. Not to mention, Europe is the reason for our problems today during the founding of Israel and during the precise extermination of my people. Had Germans not the sovereignty of other nations, Europeans were happy to see my people die. It’s well known that never has a more archaic and racist people with distaste for anyone other than themselves existed. They can’t even stand each other. Never has blood been spilt by any other group than that by the Europeans. It’s a good thing their nations are a dwindling misery. The only importance of Europe is to allow American aircraft bases in their land.
Americans are simple. They are interested only in money. It’s easier to deal with them. Basically maintain security and turmoil in the Middle East so that the nations cannot organise and take control of the resources.
Ultimately through, if anything the war between Ukraine and Israel has shown, it is that the U.S. and E.U. are all talk, no cock. We’ll protect ourselves. Don’t need your useless words of support.
Wow. Blanket stereotyping of the every citizen of the West much?
Absolutely absurd.
And the hypocrisy---- as an Israeli citizen you should know better than to cast discriminatory, biased opinions that are exactly that - your opinions. Which are racist - which ironically is EXACTLY what you are literally calling every european. What an idiot.
Love and peace, a european Jew.
It’s the US that has led the way in helping Ukraine to defend itself. Much the same with Israel.
The US has done for Israel what helps Israel to better defend itself. For example, having naval carrier groups sent to the eastern Med to warn off any state actors from getting involved directly with large forces of their own and to exhibit that Israel will be defended by the US from any and all...
It’s the US that has led the way in helping Ukraine to defend itself. Much the same with Israel.
The US has done for Israel what helps Israel to better defend itself. For example, having naval carrier groups sent to the eastern Med to warn off any state actors from getting involved directly with large forces of their own and to exhibit that Israel will be defended by the US from any and all attempt to overrun it. These things really do matter, and our military partners should be appreciative of the assistance provided.
As an agnostic, I cannot understand religiously motivated restrictions. Not the decision of ElAl not to provide service on Saturday, not some airlines not to serve alcohol. Both just do not make any sense to me.
Can we remove the calls for genocide from "PL"? That GUWonder type has done the same thing.
It's plain antisemitism, and their employers should know.
I have always despised Hamas and terrorist violence, but don’t let the facts stop the delusional and politically deranged right wingers and other supporters of Netanyahu — the very Netanyahu who was approving Qatar’s funding of Hamas for most of this year too — from spreading defamatory falsehoods about me.
Time to make another donation to the SPLC to support their great work monitoring and spreading info about hate groups. Now, only if this Sara...
I have always despised Hamas and terrorist violence, but don’t let the facts stop the delusional and politically deranged right wingers and other supporters of Netanyahu — the very Netanyahu who was approving Qatar’s funding of Hamas for most of this year too — from spreading defamatory falsehoods about me.
Time to make another donation to the SPLC to support their great work monitoring and spreading info about hate groups. Now, only if this Sara Smith character would too, it would be an even better country and world.
Sigh - lived in Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, and Syria at various points in my life. Loved every single moment in the Middle East, but the situation there is sadly never going to change. Just hope that the loss of more innocent civilians on both sides is averted. Fanaticism and extremism must be thwarted.
“ The airline states that these flights are defined as “soul supervision,” and received all the relevant Halacic certifications.”
Lucky,
The term you are translating from (pikuach nefesh) is more accurately translated as “saving lives”. And it’s spelled “halachic” (which means in accordance with Jewish law).
Saving lives is absolutely paramount in Judaism, and trumps virtually all restrictions.
Thanks for posting Ben, wasn't aware of this. I'm guessing the state covers the loss for that lack of flights on saturdays.
It does not. El Al is a private company and they’ve made the decision to not operate on Sabbath.
Honestly Ben I know the original post is aviation oriented but posting these types of news stories are just going to deteriorate into highly politically charged views and narratives and you should just turn comments off if possible.
there is a major aviation component so it needs to be addressed.
The only thing that anyone that condemns either side should tell us is when they have experienced the invasion of their home and the execution of family members along w/ how they responded.
Turning off comments limits sharing and page views. Like it or not if we want continued unbiased reviews from Ben then we have to put up with a lot of traffic generating stuff like this otherwise this blog will turn into a paid review site like tpg and no one wants that.
Real question here, do people in Europe and the US actually support Hamas or are they so laser focused on left wing politics they are blinded by their actions and will defend them no matter what because of some political belief at home. Seriously are they ok with beheading babies because they fear if they condemn Hamas then Trump might gain .00001% more power?
Firstly no one has defended Hamas here. The actions of Hamas does not mean, ordinary Palestinian citizens of which there are 2 million, half of whom are literally children deserver to suffer. Cutting of electricity water and food is a war crime under the Geneva Convention.
Secondly the story of the beheaded babies has been debunked as a lie, the Israeli military confirmed to both Anadolou Agency yesterday and CNN today it was not...
Firstly no one has defended Hamas here. The actions of Hamas does not mean, ordinary Palestinian citizens of which there are 2 million, half of whom are literally children deserver to suffer. Cutting of electricity water and food is a war crime under the Geneva Convention.
Secondly the story of the beheaded babies has been debunked as a lie, the Israeli military confirmed to both Anadolou Agency yesterday and CNN today it was not away of it happening but of course the lie has already spread like wildfire due to our terrible media reporting something without checking if it is substantiated.
"Firstly no one has defended Hamas here"
The Democratic Socialists of New York mocked the people killed at a music concert focused on peace.
Socialist Groups and Palestinian organizations in Australia chanted G@S the Jews in front of the Sydney Opera House.
The Harvard Student Body Leadership laid the responsibility of slaughter of civilians on Israel and refused to condemn Hamas.
The progressive side of the American Left is just as genocidal and...
"Firstly no one has defended Hamas here"
The Democratic Socialists of New York mocked the people killed at a music concert focused on peace.
Socialist Groups and Palestinian organizations in Australia chanted G@S the Jews in front of the Sydney Opera House.
The Harvard Student Body Leadership laid the responsibility of slaughter of civilians on Israel and refused to condemn Hamas.
The progressive side of the American Left is just as genocidal and evil as the White Supremacist's they claim to oppose.
I never mentioned anywhere else, it was implied it was happening here when I can't see anyone doing that.
And yes the Israeli apartheid regime and occupation is responsible for the ongoing violence - that shouldn't be controversial. It's amazing how these things are made unsayable in the West, yet in Israel just yesterday Haaretz an Israeli newspaper basically published an op-ed saying exactly that. Holding the Israeli regime to account doesn't mean letting Hamas...
I never mentioned anywhere else, it was implied it was happening here when I can't see anyone doing that.
And yes the Israeli apartheid regime and occupation is responsible for the ongoing violence - that shouldn't be controversial. It's amazing how these things are made unsayable in the West, yet in Israel just yesterday Haaretz an Israeli newspaper basically published an op-ed saying exactly that. Holding the Israeli regime to account doesn't mean letting Hamas off the hook - I think its also important to say that Hamas is a product of Israeli policy especially as they sought to undermine the leftist-liberal Palestinians that were leading things for majority of the previous decades.
Please, your post could have been much shorter, basically you are saying blame the victim.
Haaretz is an Extremist Left wing newspaper supporting palestinians
Has Haaretz called for the murdering of civilians anywhere and advocated for war crimes? What makes Haaretz extremist left wing? Did it support Trump and his violent insurrection on January 6th, 2021?
Clips from it used to be read by GW Bush, Clinton and GHWB Admin officials in much the same way as the WSJ.
Unfortunately many Americans and residents have spoken out in justification of Hamas' actions. I would 100% consider that defending Hamas. This is happening throughout the country, but perhaps most horrifically at our elite universities - At Harvard, over 30 separate student organizations signed a letter written by the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee and Harvard Graduate Students for Palestine stating that they “hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence.”
Unfortunately many Americans and residents have spoken out in justification of Hamas' actions. I would 100% consider that defending Hamas. This is happening throughout the country, but perhaps most horrifically at our elite universities - At Harvard, over 30 separate student organizations signed a letter written by the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee and Harvard Graduate Students for Palestine stating that they “hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence.”
Exactly there are people and organizations everywhere across the US defending the actions of Hamas. I really want to know are these people actually sick and believe its ok to do this or are they solely backing them no matter what and looking away at the beheaded babies because they wont allow anything to potentially help trump or the right on any grounds.
Steve,
there have been polls come out from news organizations that show Americans support Israel's right to defend itself and strike back at Hamas by a very wide margin.
There’s tangible proof of beheadings by the scum that committed this atrocity. Why would it not surprise anyone they would do it ? Naturally they aren’t going to publish evidence.
There is no proof. It has been debunked. Israel is even sharing AI generated gory images.
The Hamas and other terrorists who invaded Israel on the holiday there were running around with body, head and phone cameras recording and perhaps even digitally distributing the images. It doesn’t seem to me like the terrorists’ wanted to be shy about what they were doing. They want their murder and mayhem porn so as to terrorize far and wide and to get their political message out to the public in a way that drives the political objective they seek.
You are suggesting that Americans’ condemning Hamas’s murderous ways increases Trump’s support. I won’t even ask you to try to explain the bizarre thought process that went into your thinking on that because I know it won’t make any sense to any sensible person.
The comments here are sure to change a lot of minds on the Middle East.
Hamas, the freely elected representatives of the citizens of Gaza - A bunch of terrorist inhuman barbarians - Hamas, using their own citizens as human shields - Zero regard for human life - There is a reason Egypt doesn't want Gaza back - Palestinians are Arabs - Nothing more, nothing less - The term "Palestinian" is a made up term - There has never been a country of Palestine - NEVER - Read your history
A racist fascist apartheid supporter speaks.
Simply stated, a comment from Jjon that simply states facts.
Your incendiary remarks are false but you attack every true statement which doesn't break your way.
There is nothing factual in what he posted and saying Palestinians don't exist is particularly disgusting and racist.
In your opinion disgusting and racist.
There has never been a Country called palestine. Fact.
It was literally the British Mandate of Palestine before Israel was created. I know you have been brainwashed, but I'd suggest going to read some real history not the twisted version you've been fed, particlularly the Nakba and what was done to the Palestinians.
"Hamas, the freely elected representatives of the citizens of Gaza"
To add some context to this trope: Hamas was elected in 2006, and refused to cede power since. Seeing as the average age in Gaza is less than 20-yrs-old, that's essentially blaming toddlers for the election of Hamas.
The last time Gaza had an election accessible to the Palestinian citizens, close to a majority of its current day inhabitants weren’t even born. And of those who were born before that last election, a huge proportion of them couldn’t vote then. Last I knew from before the October 2023 atrocities, Hamas was not popular with the overwhelming majority of Palestinians in Gaza. Hamas is like the criminal gang running the dirty business of controlling...
The last time Gaza had an election accessible to the Palestinian citizens, close to a majority of its current day inhabitants weren’t even born. And of those who were born before that last election, a huge proportion of them couldn’t vote then. Last I knew from before the October 2023 atrocities, Hamas was not popular with the overwhelming majority of Palestinians in Gaza. Hamas is like the criminal gang running the dirty business of controlling the prison for a sadistic, corrupt prison warden.
Aww breaking religious law, so foreign citizens can go and do a bit of genocide in the Gaza strip on behalf of a fascist racist apartheid state. So interesting and heartwarming!
You Nazi piece of s-
I think you will find the side you support have more in common with Nazis given the concentration camp Israel has made Gaza. Also go to any far right protest in US and Western Europe and Israeli flags are being flown. Israeli PMs are also cost with far right politicians like Hungary's Orbán.
*cosy
Gaza should not exist in its present form and must be a horrible place to live, however it’s not comparable to ww2 concentration camps which were used for the systematic enslavement and murder of millions of Jews, Roma and LGBTQ. Technically I guess it’s a ghetto.
Most of these terrorists cannot distinguish between Jews and Israelis. It’s like saying all Muslims are Arabs.
There are just 14 million Jews versus 2 billion...
Gaza should not exist in its present form and must be a horrible place to live, however it’s not comparable to ww2 concentration camps which were used for the systematic enslavement and murder of millions of Jews, Roma and LGBTQ. Technically I guess it’s a ghetto.
Most of these terrorists cannot distinguish between Jews and Israelis. It’s like saying all Muslims are Arabs.
There are just 14 million Jews versus 2 billion Muslims.
Israel is a developed democracy with a generally highly educated cosmopolitan population and the only country in the region open to LGBTQ. On the contrary most Muslim countries are the polar opposite. To add, I’ve never had any interest in visiting Israel.
Gaza is a problem that nobody wants. You do know that there is access to Eygypt from Gaza, don't you?
From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!
In Israel the Palestinians and Palestine will be reduced to rocks/ rubbish and wiped out by Israel.
Why do you hate Jewish people?
The Palestinians had their chance for 2 state solution and rejected it.
Isreal ≠ Jews. In fact it is anti-semitic to suggest so, as the IHRA definition and examples state.
Also I think you will find the blocker to the 2 state solution was Israel, it was never interested in that - it always intended to take have all the land as Israel. It is a "masquerade" as celebrated Israeli journalist Gideon Levy has said, that even politicians don't pretend given Netanyahu was at the UN waving a map of "Greater Israel" on it.
The call for an entire peoples ("the Palestinians"), no matter who or where they are, to be "wiped out" is distressing and hate speech, plain and simple.
The call for a group of people who have suffered tragic attempts at their own extermination, to turn around and then "wipe out" a different group of people, is the very heart of evil itself.
Yep. Very dispiriting. You would think one people who experienced such pain would not inflict it on another.
Ben, this comment from PL is disgusting and vile. I've never asked You to remove a comment before until now. As a Non-Jew I actually got sick to my stomach reading it. I can't imagine anyone calling for an entire group of people to be "wiped off the map". Vile and Gross.
Why is it disgusting and vile? You claim it it is "calling for an entire group of people to be wiped off the map" but it does no such thing.
(we have to be careful with banning phrases, it can mean as a liberation slogan that calls for a single state in all of historic Palestine where people of all religions have equal citizenship. It does not necessarily call for a whole people to be gone although it may mean that for some people.)
Who on earth do you think is using that phrase to call for single state with equal rights for all religions?!
And under whose jurisdiction do you imagine this equal rights country existing?
Certainly not the Hamas-led Gazan government whose very charter details their operating principle to include death to all Jews.
I think you may be cluelessly naive here. (At best. Otherwise you're being purposefully obtuse in defense of terrorists.)
I'm not going to go into what such a state might be, all I am saying for many people that's what that phrase means - to say that it is vague enough that it can mean very different things to very different people.
In Israel no one believes in the "two-state solution" anymore, this is a weird obsession still held on to in the West in the absence of anything else. I guess for a...
I'm not going to go into what such a state might be, all I am saying for many people that's what that phrase means - to say that it is vague enough that it can mean very different things to very different people.
In Israel no one believes in the "two-state solution" anymore, this is a weird obsession still held on to in the West in the absence of anything else. I guess for a certain section of Israelis who are against the occupation and want an end to the violence, they see a post-apartheid settlement a bit like in South Africa.
Really? Show one Palestinian controlled community that allows Jews to live in it. Not one.
Palestinians don't have any control of a community because the Israeli's control every part of their lives, this is why multiple organisations from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch to Israel's own B'Tselem say it is apartheid. Israel effectively administers both Israel and the Palestinian Territories but those living in the latter don't have full rights and are oppressed. The only people in the Palestinian Territorires who get full rights are Israeli settlers, who shouldn't even...
Palestinians don't have any control of a community because the Israeli's control every part of their lives, this is why multiple organisations from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch to Israel's own B'Tselem say it is apartheid. Israel effectively administers both Israel and the Palestinian Territories but those living in the latter don't have full rights and are oppressed. The only people in the Palestinian Territorires who get full rights are Israeli settlers, who shouldn't even be there under international law, which furthers why it is apartheid.
Hamas will be free from housing and be free to bury their dead, once Israel lets them.
Yes, Free from Hamas,
It is noteworthy that flights to Israel are packed as Israelis head home to defend their country.
There are Americans that are getting out on El Al flights to the US which is why the US is one of the few countries that is not operating repatriation flights. While El Al flights are full, many Americans are not willing to wait and are trying to cross borders to get out.
Late news is...
It is noteworthy that flights to Israel are packed as Israelis head home to defend their country.
There are Americans that are getting out on El Al flights to the US which is why the US is one of the few countries that is not operating repatriation flights. While El Al flights are full, many Americans are not willing to wait and are trying to cross borders to get out.
Late news is that Israel has bombed the airports in Syria and Lebanon to stop the weapons resupply of Hamas which further cuts off air service to the region.
Finally, El Al is unique in that its civilian airliners are equipped with anti-missile technology just as is found on other country's military jets.
The United States government announced they are doing repatriation flights starting immediately
Correct. Diamond Delta Dunn once again misinformed.