EL AL confirms exit from B747 freighter operations
08 / 07 / 2019
EL AL Israel Airlines has ended its Boeing 747-400 freighter operations in favour of partnerships with ASL Airlines and AirBridgeCargo.
The company has been offering B747-400F services since April 25, 2010, and has flown 275,000 tons on the aircraft over the last nine years.
The aircraft’s last flight operated between Liege to Tel Aviv and it was returned to the lessor according to the terms of the contract.
The airline held a special event to mark the last flight of the aircraft and introduce its partnerships with ASL and AirBridgeCargo for transporting cargo on its behalf.
Attending the event at Ben Gurion Airport were Russian Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov, AirBridgeCargo Airlines CEO Sergey Lazarev, EL AL Chairman of the Board Eli Defes, EL AL CEO Gonen Usishkin, EL AL Cargo Division Director Ronen Shapira and cargo agents.
It added that it was considering using AirBridgeCargo for nonstop flights to Moscow.
“Over the years the aircraft performed several special flights, such as: transporting fire-retardant substances to aid in fire-fighting during the Carmel Forest disaster; humanitarian assistance flights in cooperation with Ministry of Defense offices around the world, and other special flights,” the carrier said.
