Philippine Airlines said Friday it plans to mount nonstop flights to and from Tel Aviv, the gateway to Jerusalem and Israel, by October 2021.
The flag carrier said it hopes to serve the growing demand for air linkages between the Philippines and the Holy Land to serve tourists and overseas Filipino workers alike.
PAL president and chief operating officer Gilbert Santa Maria and Israel Ministry of Tourism Director General Amir Halevi held exploratory talks on possible Manila-Tel Aviv-Manila flights.
Israel is gradually reopening its borders to international tourism, starting with vaccinated tour groups from May 23 and ultimately to individual tourist travelers by as early as July 2021, following the country’s success in controlling the pandemic.
PAL chief strategy and planning officer Dexter Lee said the Philippines is a strong source of potential travelers to Israel, which welcomes Filipinos without requiring a visa.
“Our countrymen have been longing for a direct flight to the Holy Land for spiritual pilgrimages or for a Mediterranean getaway when the travel climate allows,” PAL chief strategy and planning officer Dexter Lee said.
“We also look forward to inviting Israelis to visit the Philippines, so our direct flights will help us restart tourism here in our country,” he said.
“I am pleased to give this important first step to the tourism industry between Israel and the Philippines. Direct flights between our two capitals will be a game-changer for tourism and business connectivity. This time Israel has unique advantage as a safe and healthy country. We hope to welcome you soon in Israel,” said Israel Ministry of Tourism Director General Halevi.
PAL is eyeing twice weekly nonstop flights to Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion International Airport, using state-of-the-art Airbus A350 aircraft.
Philippine passport holders are entitled to a 90-day visa-free access to Israel. Some 28,000 Filipinos work in Israel, most of whom are based in the neighboring areas of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa.
Once the global travel climate improves and restrictions are eased, the planned PAL service will enable Israeli tourists to fly nonstop to Manila and connect to the flag carrier’s domestic route network.
This will be a comeback for PAL, which operated regularly to Tel Aviv from the 1940s to the 1950s.