Israel Wants Direct Philippine Airlines Flights to Manila

The Israeli Government views the Philippines as an emerging tourist market, and Israel's Ministry of Tourism would like to see a direct flight between the two nations. Both nations are currently seeing an increase in visitor arrivals from both countries.

philippine airlines tel aviv
Image Source: Israel in the Philippines / Facebook
According to the Israeli Ministry of Tourism, Israel is expecting a ten percent increase in Filipino tourist arrivals this year. In 2014, more than 11,000 Filipinos visited Israel, primarily for pilgrimage tourism. The Philippines is currently Israel's sixth large tourism market in Asia.

In an effort to boost tourism to Israel, tourism officials are working with travel agencies in the Philippines to promote and market the country. Familiarization tours will be offered to partner travel agencies to assist them in developing their knowledge of Israel and its tourism assets.

Israel's Minister of Tourism Yariv Levin said that every believer should visit the Holy Land at least once. "It is not just a visit. It is not just sightseeing," said Levin. "It will change you spiritually and make you a better person." One key advantage of pursuing direct links between the Philippines and Israel is that Filipinos do not require a visa to visit the Holy Land.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Department of Tourism indicates that Israeli tourist arrivals surged by 44 percent in the first seven months of 2015. Tourism officials indicate that Israeli tourist arrivals are expected to exceed 10,000 before the end of the year.

The Israeli Ministry of Tourism wants Philippine Airlines to launch direct flights between the two countries. According to tourism officials, they are prepared to offer PAL incentives to fly to the country. Although Philippine Airlines has expressed interest in possibly serving Israel with direct flights, they have made no firm commitments to date. Meanwhile, an Israeli tourism official noted that Cebu Pacific showed little interest in the opportunity.

In December 2013, Philippine Airlines filed an application with the Civil Aeronautics Board for fourteen weekly flights between Manila and Tel Aviv following the establishment of a new air agreement between the two nations. In February 2014, the Civil Aeronautics Board revealed that seven weekly flights had been granted to Philippine Airlines and the remaining seven to Cebu Pacific, giving each carrier the opportunity to mount one daily flight.

Although doubts may exist as to the viability of a direct flight between Israel and the Philippines, the air agreement established in 2013 allows a number of privileges that might make a flight between the two nations viable. 

Philippine carriers have the option to pick up and unload passengers in Mumbai, India before continuing onto Israel as part of fifth freedom rights. They can also drop off and collect passengers in Israel before continuing onto Madrid, Spain. The Spanish city was previously revealed by former PAL President Ramon Ang as one of the carrier's target cities in Europe. In addition, options also exist to fly passengers from Manila to Tel Aviv and continue onto other cities in Europe to drop off passengers without picking up any new passengers for the Israel to Europe leg of the flight.

21 comments:

  1. Yes! For Christians in general and Catholics in particular, this is your chance to visit the Holy Land. PAL and CebuPac have all the viable factors to succeed in this route/market because they have fifth freedom rights to Bombay (Mumbai), a megalopolis, Madrid, capital of a historic mother country, etc.
    Why Cebu Pac appears to be disinterested in this project is beyond comprehension. Poor and rich Filipinos are very religious and if they need round trip airfare plus modest accommodation like B & B and 2-star hotels in Israel, it will compensate their spiritual well-being. It is once in a lifetime journey, remember? Come on guys (PAL/CebuPac), we will support your market!

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  2. Thats good sign PH govt could also negotiate for flight bound to us since israel is a big us market

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    1. This is a sure-fire big market for PAL and El Al Israel Airlines because FilAms and other passengers (interested to see and tour Israel)can fly from USA to Manila via Israel and vice versa. So PAL and El Al, grab your mega-chances! This will also reduce competitions from Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Air for this particular MNL/USA via Atlantic route.!

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    1. Claro que si! Me gusta viajar a Madrid y Barcelona. Vamonos, PAL............!
      Soy muchacho de Ciudad Zamboanga.

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  4. I hope there can be flight to Mecca during Haj as well, there is a market here in Mindanao

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  5. Come on Philippine Airlines, fly to Israel.

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  6. El Al should fly also to Philippines.

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    1. There isn't the pax demand for that. El Al is also not in the best financial state. But they have been successful in cornering the O/D market with direct, long-haul flights to Tel Aviv from cities with large expat Israeli/Jewish populations, i.e. NY or LA

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    2. El al is the safest airline in the world.planes are equipped with missilles on board,all pilots and FA s are IDF(israel defence force)..i flown with el al thrice.what i hate is they are arrogant to non jews.

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  7. For sure Philippine Airlines need to have a resident certified Masheach ( a rabbi for kosher meals)..problem is only a few philippine food manufacturers are certified kosher. Nor so many religious jews are in the Philippines..Oh well hope they can hire a respectable masgeach..Good Luck Phil.Airlines .."Shalom"

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  8. Where are your Cebu Pathetic news? I want to know when their company is sinking.

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  9. CebPac, according to Reyes (an employee), will fly soon to Guam, Honolulu and west coast states. You can "blast" CebuPac later but I will fly this airline if the air fare is lower than those of Chinese carriers nowadays. Example: China Southern's LAX/Manila/LAX via Canton round trip is $499 only. No restrictions except you will fly the big A380! Cone on, now! As LCC, it should bring down fares to Piso Piso or $100 one way MNL/LAX.

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    1. I dont fly with chinese airlines even it is free with disney land on board...

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    2. Piso piso for a roundtrip ticket to LAX? LOL
      You must be dreaming. Cebu Pathetic wants to fly to America with Piso piso fare?! HAHAHA!

      By the way, I am going to fly to the Philippines next month for another Business meetup. Convince me why I should fly your pathetic LCC carrier for domestic?

      Yellow ass tin can sardine airline is pathetic.

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    3. I think Mr Hong Kong is one of em' puppet spies from the mainland under cover as a Hong Kong businessman. Perhaps we should find out who he is so we can bring his business down.

      Why he spends so much time bashing the yellow sardine can with senseless rhetoric instead of hard facts puzzles me.

      Besides I would rather fly the yellow sardine can than the red chilli flakes bottle of hong kong airlines. The yellow sardine can have prettier cabin crew. ^_^

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    4. Very easy for people to bash an airline wishing for it to close down not realizing that there are thousands of people behind it working to make a living. I guess there really are evil people out there who wish harm to others for their own pride and selfish convictions.

      I wish you dont have to feel what its like to lose a job and have your children starve.

      Think before you send out senseless inflaming rhetoric. Constructive criticism is better and makes you look smarter.

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  10. PAL should push its plans to fly to Madrid right away because Thai Airways is ending its services at the end of October, 2015. Take over the Thailand to Spain market via Manila and Israel as well. Cuarta de doro, PAL, andale!

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  11. It extends from the south of China toward the Northern tip of Borneo. The exceptional Filipino culture was shaped by a few blends of remote impacts like Spanish, Americans and Japanese. The nation has over a hundred ethnic gatherings. Carrier to Tel Aviv

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