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A word from the Vice Chairman of EL AL Israel Airlines

EL AL’s unwavering dedication to Israel

Perhaps you’ve seen the EL AL ad that’s been circulating on social media. An Israeli Olympian travels on an EL AL plane to the Paris games as Israeli superstar Hanan Ben Ari sings in the background. The athlete is greeted by a sea of angry protesters, and he is asked to defend his country’s actions at a press conference. We begin to understand the loneliness and heaviness that he is experiencing. The camera zooms out to reveal that the athlete is actually a Paralympian – Guy Sasson, a wheelchair tennis player – who is booed as he rolls onto the court. But just as the match begins, Hanan Ben Ari, who has also flown EL AL to Paris, shouts encouragement from the stands, bringing a smile to Sasson’s face (and tears to the eyes of everyone watching). The tagline

Photo: Yariv Fein & Guy Kushi

says it all, “With us you are never alone.” As Vice Chairman of EL AL Israel Airlines, I know how seriously EL AL takes its commitment to the Israeli public. For decades EL AL has been dedicated to bringing citizens, tourists, and business people to our holy country, expanding our capacity to accommodate as many travelers as possible in comfort and in safety. When the Iron Swords War began, EL AL operated flights from the United States, Europe and Asia to help Israeli reservists get back to Israel to join the fight against Hamas. We flew these brave young men and women to Israel from New York and Bangkok and we ran rescue missions to bring stranded Israelis back home, as we rededicated ourselves to the national mission. And we were honored to do it for free. The company has flown tens of thousands essential equipment and donations from all over the world. As the war continued, EL AL recognized the toll it was taking on our fighters. We offered free flights to soldiers in order to get back to Israel, we gave an additional 18,000 free tickets to reserve soldiers, providing much-needed respite from the battlefield. Since the war began, EL AL has initiated and engaged in a multitude of service projects to help all those affected. We have had the privilege of flying the families of hostages as they travel around the world to fight for the release of their loved ones. One of our flight attendants, Hadar Harik, has worked to ensure that there is a teddy bear waiting for every hostage who returns home. EL AL has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to IDF soldiers and to evacuated residents from hard hit areas in Israel. We have had the honor of flying children from communities near Gaza, who have been displaced for nearly a full year, on respite trips where they can relax and escape the realities of war. Being thrust into a war just as we were emerging from the COVID pandemic was exceedingly challenging. EL AL understood that people were cancelling their trips to and from Israel, and we came up with creative strategies that both compensated travelers and kept our airline in business so that we could continue offering service when all of our competitors were refusing to fly to Israel. With tensions again on the rise, we are back in a situation where other carriers have suspended their Israel travel. EL AL alone is committed to ensuring that courageous visitors can support their Israeli brethren and visit the land that they love, and Israelis can travel to whatever destinations they desire. “With us you are never alone” is not just a slogan to us. It is a promise that EL AL will continue to steadfastly support the state of Israel. We have been here since the beginning, and we remain devoted to our country and our people.

Daryl Hagler Vice Chairman of EL AL Israel Airlines

*The column was published on The Times of Israel website

42 ATMOSPHERE OCTOBER 2024