Israel’s El Al has written to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) asking for its help to access Saudi Arabian airspace, so it can compete with Air India’s planned route between India and Israel.
El Al’s CEO said he has also approached Israel’s prime minister.
Saudi Arabia does not recognise Israel though there has been a thawing of the relationship between the U.S. allies, with a shared concern over Iranian influence in the region. Granting an Israeli airline access to its airspace by lifting a 70-year-old ban, however, would mark a dramatic diplomatic shift.
The appeal is a response to plans revealed by Air India last month to begin direct flights to Tel Aviv which pass through Saudi airspace, a shorter route so far off-limits to all Israel-bound commercial planes. There has been no official announcement whether Air India has received permission to fly over Saudi soil for its proposed thrice-weekly flights.
‘Level playing field’
El Al’s CEO has now turned to IATA’s head, Alexandre de Juniac, asking Mr. Juniac to step in to prevent “an uneven playing field.”
“I am approaching you and kindly requesting IATA to intervene and to represent aviation industry’s interest by advocating equal overfly rights for all carriers over the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and opposing any form of discrimination,” CEO Gonen Usishkin wrote.
El Al currently flies four weekly flights to Mumbai, but these take seven hours rather than five as they take a route south towards Ethiopia and then east to India, avoiding Saudi airspace. Shortening the route would also be a significant cost-cutter. Air India’s flights are scheduled to begin on March 6, Mr. Usishkin wrote. .
