(haipo) - In a festive ceremony, the new line from Haifa Airport to Paphos and Larnaca was launched today (Thursday 22/6/23). The Aviation Authority and ISTA Vishairair believe that this is the beginning and that in the future, lines of flights from Haifa to other destinations will be launched.
The first flight had already taken off to Paphos
The line was launched in a solemn ceremony in the presence of Aviation Authority President Amnon Cohen, Haifa Airport CEO Meir Cohen, Haifa Mayor Dr. Einat Kalish Rotem and her deputy Nachshon Tzuk, Rabbi Yehuda Ginzburg, representatives of airlines from abroad and Israel Israir and ISTA and other dignitaries Israir's new, in collaboration with ISTA to Paphos and Larnaca. The first flight has already taken off to Paphos.
In the future, one should expect the launch of additional lines and destinations, including long-term destinations. The restoration of flights to Eilat is also planned, through the approval of flights by foreign companies from Haifa Airport to Eilat, and the opening of duty free according to the passengers' answers.
Three years of drought have come to an end
The line to Cyprus was inaugurated after three years in which no planes took off or landed at Haifa airport to destinations abroad and in Israel, despite it being an active airport. As I recall, 2017 was a promising year in regards to the improvement and upgrading of the airport in Haifa. This year duty free was opened for the first time, launched And lines to Athens, Rhodes and Kos were put into operation, all within the framework of the Open Skies reform, which was led by the then Minister of Transportation Israel Katz. At that time there were also lines to Eilat.
In 2020, even before the outbreak of the corona virus, the mayor of Haifa, Dr. Einat Kalish Rotem, even strengthened relations with Cyprus and signed a mutual agreement to strengthen tourism to the region and launched new flights, but when the virus broke out, duty free was closed and flights to and from it were stopped.
Since then, as mentioned, 3 years have passed, the corona virus has ended but the airport remains deserted even though it is open.
► Watch: celebratory launch of the flight to Cyprus
► The CEO of Lahi Feh Airport: "Haifa Airport has potential and you can fly from it to several destinations"
CEO of Haifa Airport, Meir Cohen: "We are excited to launch the flight line to Larnaca and Paphos.
Haifa's airport, which is an international airport, has potential and you can fly from it to several destinations. Who decides which destinations these are the airlines, together with the travel agencies.
We wish UNIVERSAL from Malta, which started flying from Haifa, many more flights and many destinations.
The flights to Eilat:
At this stage, there are no Israeli companies flying to Eilat and as of today there is no permission for foreign companies to fly on this route, but I hope that they will allow the foreign companies to operate on this route and I call on those responsible to allow foreign companies to fly to Eilat, so that the residents of Haifa and the north can fly.
The closed duty free will be opened soon after we see and check the responses of the passengers at the airport."
◄ Amnon Cohen, Director General of the Aviation Authority: "Will, determination and faith achieve every goal and every goal"
Amnon Cohen, Director General of the Aviation Authority: "Today we are making a significant and important leap forward. We are operating international routes from Haifa and to Haifa at the small airport in Haifa.
All over the world there are small airports and medium sized planes. The promoters of the project did not give up and looked for many options until they found this layout of the first line to Larnaca and Paphos after the international activity stopped. For us, this is another proof that desire, determination and faith achieve any target and any goal."
◄ Tali Noi VP Marketing and Sales Ista: "Eilat • There are partners and there are discussions and there is something to look forward to"
Tali Noi VP Marketing and Sales Ista: "We are excited to launch the new line to Paphos and Larnaca and we believe that this is just the beginning. We plan to add more destinations next year, of course, as a start the destinations will be close and short.
There are also limitations to the field, which do not allow longer flights at the moment, but we are trying to see how we can bring in bigger planes, which can carry more people and reach longer ranges, all of this is still under review.
The residents of Haifa and the north deserve a home field, from which they can go on vacations in a shorter and more enjoyable way. The field in Haifa significantly shortens the ranges to less than half a day and they are already abroad. In my opinion, this is dramatic news. Regarding Eilat, we have partners, we are in discussions and, like ISTA, always surprise and there is something to look forward to."
Flights to Paphos and Larnaca will depart six days a week
The flights to Paphos and Larnaca will depart six days a week and will be carried out in narrow-body jet planes with 34 seats that provide a unique flight experience, similar to a private flight. Air Malta's aircraft will be operated by the company's staff and will be marketed by Ista Vishayair for this purpose.
In Ista they say to live here:
"Ista is an impressive force in Cyprus with a variety of hotels in Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos such as the LEONARDO LAURA BEACH&SPLASH 4* hotel on an all-inclusive basis with a water park suitable for families. Or hotels for adults only such as the LEONARDO CYPRIA MARIS 4* hotel with an adjacent beach.
The hotel inventory led the company to the decision to increase flights to this destination and make it accessible to the northern audience. The flight duration is about 50 minutes and the flight schedule from Haifa is planned until the end of October. The flights left in three rounds, six days a week."
- There are two daily flights to Larnaca from Haifa, the first one will take off at 08:00 in the morning and another flight will take off in the afternoon at 15:30
- The flights back from Larnaca to Haifa left at 10:00 in the morning and another flight at 17:30 in the afternoon.
- There will be one daily flight to Paphos from Haifa at 11:45 and the return flight will take off from Paphos to Haifa at 13:30.
Hila Hermolin Ronen, Israir's VP of Marketing and Sales, told Lahi Fe:
"We are attentive to our northern customers and enable a short and pleasant customer experience right from the arrival at the field. The first flights are already full, in the future additional destinations are planned to which it will be possible to fly from Haifa."
Sample prices that will be marketed through ISTA: flight ticket only including taxes and a 7 kg trolley starting at $249 per person and a package price for 3 nights with half board starting at $490 per person.
Former Minister of Transportation Merav Michaeli addresses the issue of the airport at the Gulf Conference
And when to Eilat??
It's just a shame that the flight prices from Haifa are twice as high as from Ben Gurion. The Haifaites are being screwed again, like the most expensive property tax in Israel.
Why doesn't Rafi Hasson Rapoul respond,''?
Mr. Rafi Raful Hasson responded, wishing him a good time
The time has come to reopen the flights from Haifa to Eilat and back, the response will be high and welcome to all the residents of the north, the summer months of July and August are popular to Eilat and as soon as they open the flights I am sure that no one will remain indifferent to this possibility 🙏
Someone from the decision makers will pick up the glove 🙌😇
Well done for opening the field
But the prices are much higher on those flights to the nation of Bulgaria
It's a shame the house needed less
$249 for a half hour flight is daylight robbery.
good time
good time Good night
Kudos to Einat Kalish for the welcome initiative, the launch of the line will surely contribute to mutual tourism between the countries.
There are enough topics and forums to criticize the municipality and the current mayor, but when a word of praise comes, you should also praise.
Keep up the good work for her and her husband.
It won't help you anyway. She returns home to Ramat Sapir.
The damage it caused to the city will take years to repair if at all.
110 Euros more than leaving from Tel Aviv. We are not suckers.
keep licking It won't help you anyway. She returns home to Ramat Sapir. The damage it caused to the city will take years to repair if at all.
After the flattering reactions - the truth in the face:
There will be no international airport at the existing airport. There will be one-way flights of Israelis to Cyprus. No Cypriot and no tourist will come here through Cyprus - expensive and unprofitable. While the coastal towns in Cyprus are upgrading their coastline with resorts, marinas, luxury towers, hotel towers, new promenades -
You come to Haifa and you don't see a marina, you don't see markets like Mahane Yehuda, you don't see streets full of tourists and cool shops.
They come to old depressing neighborhoods like Kiryat Eliezer. You see neglect and dirt like the beaches of Bat Galim. And instead of seeing markets like in Barcelona, you see Mayrhof square where tired elderly people sit and chain pigeons that no one bothers to clean on the cobblestones.
Tourism Even if some arrive on flights to Israel - they will take the first train from the center of the Gulf to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and disappear from there. Maybe they will take a train to the Haifa Center station, take a picture for half an hour in front of the Baha'i gardens, and continue by train to the center. Haifa is not on the radar. Klish does not fulfill any of her promises, and resuming flights that were a decade ago - a casual action related to the interests of the ISTA company and the Airports Authority, which makes a show "as if" so that we forget that they transferred the noisy small planes from Herzliya to Haifa. Here is a smoke screen - you have one line to Cyprus. Is it international? Is this a normal airport? What is this lame joke. fraud.
and has nothing to do with Haifa Municipality.
You are absolutely right!!! There is nothing to do in Haifa, except for the Baha'is and the wretched Talfiot market, the whole city will not find restaurants like in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, everything is falafel and shawarma on Jaffa Street in the lower city, in the best case it will be convenient for northerners to fly to destinations 50 minutes away for the price of a flight to New York 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
When you want everything is possible, thank you to Mayor Einat Kalish for the consistent activity for the goal, a small airport in Haifa for the residents of Haifa and the north, cheers ❤️
God bless you, Madam Mayor of Haifa, Dr. Einat Kalish Rotem.
Another important action for the dear residents of Haifa. A pleasant flight to Paphos city and a pleasant evening.
There were more flights to neighboring countries at Haifa airport during the mandate period than 80 years later.
How embarrassing. Enough with the shame and the like. A metropolis of a million inhabitants with one seasonal line to Cyprus. what is this joke