A new airline. Air Haifa, is expected to start operating in Israel in the coming months. The airline announced that the first aircraft in its fleet will land in Israel at the end of the month. This aircraft, an ATR 72-600 model, has 72 seats and will fly from Blagnac Airport in Toulouse, France, to Haifa International Airport.
The aircraft will be delivered to the company's management in Toulouse by the French-Italian manufacturer ATR, which is jointly owned by the Airbus Group and Leonardo Group. Over the next few months, the company will receive two additional aircraft of this model.
Haifa airport. Photo: Herzi Shapira
Air Haifa was founded by a group of Israeli entrepreneurs led by Nir Zuk, founder of Palo Alto Networks, and Gonen Usishkin, Lior Yavor, and Miki Strasburger, all former senior executives at El Al. The new airline will operate flights throughout the year from Haifa Airport to Eilat and various destinations around the Mediterranean Basin, offering what it describes as "affordable and competitive prices, with comfort and safety."
The company is in the final stages of obtaining its operational license from the Civil Aviation Authority, having received a commercial operating license from Minister of Transport Miri Regev last September.
