Arkia airlines in cooperation with TechAir, an initiative of Israeli tech companies, has announced it would begin direct flights from Ben Gurion Airport to New York's JFK, starting February 8. In a statement the company said tickets would be priced at $1,199 for a round-trip flight including luggage, two full meals and beverages.
Since international carriers suspended their flights to and from Israel, El Al has been the only airline offering direct flights to the U.S. The national carrier has come under fire for the high cost of tickets on its flights and the difficulty of finding available tickets to meet the high demand.
On the dates now offered by Arkia, El Al has no available seats. A day earlier, on February 7, the airline is offering a return ticket in its premium section for $3,701. The next available tourist class return ticket on El Al is on March 3, costing $1,654. Further searches revealed there were a few seats available in the tourist class but just one way from Tel Aviv to New York at $519.
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Arkia said it would operate three weekly flights to New York. "This is a milestone that shows our commitment to the Israeli public and to finding available solutions for flights in challenging times," Arkia CEO Oz Berlovitz said.