Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK A New Israeli Airline about to launched.
After Air Haifa this year, another new Israeli airline will enter the market.
Ami Cohen and Arnon Englander, the owners of "Holiday Lines" (Kavei Hufsha) company, who owns the greek airline Blue Bird Airways the Cypriot airline TUS, have decided that this is the right time for them to establish a new Israeli airline, as first reported by Passport News.
The company has already begun talks with the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel and intends to begin the licensing process to become an Israeli airline.
The two companies, that are planned to continue operations as they are, currently have a combined fleet of seven aircrafts, meaning the company will perform a strong competition for EL AL, Israir, Arkia Airlines, and Air Haifa - which only recently entered the market.
Parent company "Kavei Hufsha" will keep both airlines under TUS & Blue Bird brands alongside the new company.
"Holiday Lines" official comment: "Blue Bird and TUS will continue to operate alongside our intention to establish a new Israeli airline".
Blue Bird flew 525,452 passengers to and from Israel last year, totaling 3.78% of Ben Gurion Airport's passengers, and TUS flew 202,435 passengers, making up 1.45% of all travelers at Ben Gurion.
Together, the two companies flew 727,887 passengers, which would position them in fourth in terms of activity volume at Ben Gurion airport if operated as one company.
It should be noted that the war caused both companies to halt flights to Israel part of the time.
The entry of another Israeli airline is expected to shake up the local aviation market, which serves about 10 million residents, an unprecedented ratio in terms of the number of local airlines.