— The Knesset Finance Committee has approved the government’s purchase of six new Boeing jumbo jets for $260 million which includes four spare Pratt-Whitney engines. The aircraft–four 767s and two 737s–were originally ordered by El Al but the government refused to provide the financing until the carrier overcame the financial and personnel problems that brought it to the brink of closure this month.
The six planes, scheduled for delivery in 1982, will be retained by the government until El Al can restore its solvency. Should the airline be unable to meet the government’s conditions, the fuel efficient planes would command a good price on the world market where they are in great demand.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
