Israel and the Irish Republic have agreed in principle to closer cooperation between their national airlines following a visit by Mordechai Ben-Art, managing director of El Al. Among topics discussed with Irish aviation chiefs were mutual landing rights in Dublin and Tel Aviv and a new route between the United States and Israel stopping at Dublin and Rome. Aer Lingus, meanwhile, loaned one of its Boeing 707s to El Al to cope with the winter tourism boom.
Ben Art also visited London to continue talks with British Airways on the possibility of El Al gaining landing rights in Hong Kong in exchange for which British Airways would be able to stop over in Israel en route to the Far East. He also reviewed El Al’s promotion efforts in Britain where, for the first time in any European country, flights to Israel are being advertised on television.
URGES AIR SECURITY TALKS
Ben-Ari is going on to Geneva for a meeting with Knud Hammarskjold, director, general of the International Air Traffic Association. He wants IA TA to give airline security a prominent place on the agenda of its forthcoming annual conference in Singapore. In particular, he wants IATA to recommend that airlines should adopt a policy of “active defense” against hijacking.
Also in London is Lew Bigon, managing director of Arkia, Israel’s domestic airline in which El Al has a 50 percent share. The Arkia chief, who is planning to expand the current fleet of 10 aircraft, visited the Farnborough Air Show and spoke to British officials.
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