Israel’s national air line, E1 A1, will begin direct flights to China on Sept. 3, the Israeli Transport Ministry announced.
At first, the service will be categorized as a charter. It will go to regular service as soon as China Air, the Chinese national carrier, introduces its own flights to Tel Aviv on the basis of an interline agreement.
E1 A1 has begun selling round-trip tickets to Beijing at an introductory offer of $1,487. The 10-1/2-hour non-stop flights will depart Ben-Gurion Airport every Thursday evening and return Saturday nights.
The planes will fly mainly over the former Soviet Union.
E1 A1 hopes to increase the frequency from one to three flights weekly in the next three years.
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