Israel To Boost Asia Flights When Saudi Arabia Opens Airspace

• Khalid Al Mansoor
• . July 18, 2022
• . Update: July 18, 2022 6:39 pm
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Israel–Israeli airlines plan to boost Asia flights when Saudi Arabia allows unfettered access to its airspace. Israeli airlines will open new routes to India and other popular Asian destinations with the help of Saudi Arabia, a move that would save fuel costs, lower ticket prices and reduce flight times.

Israeli Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli said that implementation of the plan could take several weeks. There are no open relations between both countries. Israel’s Tourism Ministry said the expanded Saudi corridor would eventually make airline tickets some 20 per cent cheaper for travellers.

Before Saudi Arabia’s announcement on Friday, Israeli airlines could only overfly Saudi territory to Bahrain. Dropping restrictions on access to Saudi airspace means Israeli airlines will be able to use the airspace to reach famous Asian countries too.

Israeli airlines to fly over Saudi Arabia

According to media reports, flag carriers El Al Israel Airlines and Arkia Israeli Airlines have already applied for permission to fly over Saudi Arabia, which would cut about 2-1/2 hours from flights to India and Thailand. It will also save fuel on its nearly daily flights to Thailand. Present routes to popular Asian destinations bypass Saudi airspace by flying south over the Red Sea around Yemen.

According to Reuters, Arkia airlines said it planned to start flights to Goa, India, in November. The airline was also planning to start flights for new destinations like Thailand and Sri Lanka using Airbus A321neoLR aircraft.

An Israeli official reportedly said that he expected members of the country’s Muslim minority to be able to fly directly to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage by next year.

The United States has been meditating on the expanded overflights, which would eventually involve direct coordination between Israeli and Saudi civil aviation agencies. However, Saudi Arabia is yet to formally recognise Israel.