As a travel agent with literally hundreds of still stranded customers in Eretz Yisroel, I want to give an UNSOLICITED well deserved shout out to EL AL for the way they have handled the insane situation of getting people in and out of the country during this crazy time.
They have done an amazing job allowing IDF soldiers and reservists to get back to serve the country they love in their time of need. I want to also focus now on what they have done for the rest of the world who were visiting the country for Sukkos and got caught in this unexpected war which they had no idea they would be caught in.
I have spent the last 72 hours and counting, grabbing every possible available seat on any airline to get panicked foreigners out of the country and back to the places they call home. As each international airline, one at a time, decides to suspend service, the process starts all over again with refunding and re-grabbing new space with many families repeating this over and over again until they finally get out.
What finally became clear was that EL AL was going to be the only reliable option to get a flight that was actually going to go. The problem is they had pretty full planes to start so there simply have not yet been enough seats to allow everyone who wants to leave to do so.
Here’s where the Chesed begins.
1. They haven’t reduced their schedule. They have somehow found pilots and staff to keep flying in the most trying of circumstances. They also continue to reliably service not just their big USA markets like NYC, Miami and Los Angeles, but also literally dozens of much smaller market airports throughout Europe and beyond without any noticeable cancellations or delays.
2. They have announced one of the most lenient change policies in the industry to reduce panic and financial strain on those who need to push off or make their trips earlier. They are not charging any change fees or fare differences for people who need a few more days in either direction even if the new fare is higher than the old one. They are allowing vouchers for anyone who doesn’t want to travel now to use their already issued tickets for ANY PASSENGER for at least a year with no penalties or loss of value.
3. This is the big one. They aren’t price gouging. Instead of the industry standard tier pricing where an empty plane sells for the lower rates and as it fills the prices go up until they reach ridiculously high rates that no one would ever pay (unless they were totally desperate), they have changed to a one level fare system which is remarkably low. Every economy seat they sell now to Europe is coming out in the crazy low $300 range. Many US customers have used these small European flights as an exit strategy to get out and then end up also buying overpriced tickets on other airlines to go the rest of the way. Every economy seat that opens up on EL AL to and from NYC is selling in the $750-$900 range. That’s it! No markups or money grabbing going on here. If they would charge 3-4 times these prices, people would gladly pay it because of the current panic they are experiencing, but they simply aren’t doing that. They have no competition now but they are being fair and benevolent to their customers. I’m sure they could use the money, but they are choosing to instead get their rewards from ABOVE instead.
I wish they could add flights and more seats would be there to get everyone who is stuck in E”Y home safely and quickly, but they have done a remarkable job with what they have to work with and slowly but surely thousands of people continue to finally get home.
Dovid Sachs – Baltimore
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12 Responses
Thank you El Al thank you
I made an account just to reply to this. ABSOLUTELY CORRECT! I just got my children out of e”y, (may they return soon again after a huge victory!) and El Al felt like dealing with my family. Sticking to difficult schedules. Not losing their cool. No balagan at the airport. No PRICE GOUGING – and they could have charged ANYTHING but they didn’t. The prices were even cheap! They shot rockets in the area just as my children boarded their plane and they evacuated the plane quickly and safely and as soon as the all clear was given they put them right back on and flew out! The whole company from the top down, owner to pilot, to ticket counter, to security, to steward/ess… Everyone, you are heroes and you should be blessed!
That’s what happens when frum Yidden are in charge! Me kiamacha Yisrael!
I also made an account to reply to this posting.
As a travel agent myself, I would like to add my Hakoras Hatov to El Al for all that they are doing to get people out of Israel. Besides for those that went for Succos, there are many students that are trying to leave their seminaries and come home for the duration of the war. We agents are working around the clock, checking flights every minute to “chap” a flight for someone. Dovid Sachs is correct. The prices, whether using a one-way or round-trip ticket, are VERY reasonably priced. They are doing an AMAZING JOB!!
A fellow agent in Brooklyn, NY
Kenny Rozenberg is a tzadik and mentch! Kol hakavod!
Hey flatbushfellow, wow what a coward you are. Really? You really think that your kids are safer here than in Hashems holy city????? All your life you blabber about emuna and bitachon but when it actually comes to a real life situation you totally disregard that Torah is the greatest shmira and somehow think that your own kochi v’otzem yadi is more protective ?????
Yes, I have three kids now in Hashems capitol in yerushalayim and our emuna is strong that bzchus their tefilla and torah no harm can come their way
As a travel agent myself, I want to give a huge Hakoras Hatov to El Al Airlines. We agents are working around the clock to get hundreds of people on flights out of Israel. Besides for those that went for Succos, there are also the students who are coming home for the duration of the war. We are checking flights all day and night so we can “chap” a spot for one of the many who are still waiting to leave. When push comes to shove, I rely only on El Al. Dovid Sachs is absolutely correct regarding the prices. Whether using a one-way or a round-trip ticket, the fares are VERY reasonably priced. Can you imagine how much the airline could have charged and gotten away with it, instead of keeping the prices down?! People are paying a fortune to get a flight, either on a charter or with a stopover somewhere. We are very lucky that we have an airline that we can work with in times of need.
A fellow agent in Brooklyn, NY
We’ve been flying with ElAl exclusively for a number of years now. They’ve become more and more courteous with time. Their security, their ticket counter clerks and, most importantly, the flight attendants. I say this with many flight experiences. They are the best! They care to please and they’re courteous! It wasn’t always like that but for the past three years or so, they’re the go-to airline for us. And, may I add, we travel multiple times each year. Kudos! 👏
Wow Kol Hakavod.
Thank you for posting
I could only hope (and would love to believe) that it is indeed so at least in most cases. I just heard an interview on Kol Mevaser where the interviewee related having been charged (which was eventually dropped) an extra 3 Gs (on top of 6 G) for his business class on El Al out of the country. [Perhaps they’re not that forgiving for customers who can afford business class.]
Agreed they are the best, but prices for seats to USA that opened up were/are in the 2k+ range for one way. Still less than flying through Dubai, but pricy. Many families i know remained with huge cc bills…
jack596
I sold one way tickets from Israel to Newark, JFK, and Boston for under $1000. There were people who took charters, which were $2000 and up for a one way flight, but that is not El Al charging it. It’s the people who are running the charter. It is understandable because it is very expensive to charter a plane. Numerous agents who had charters when thousands had to return immediately due to Covid in March 2020, lost money even with the high priced tickets. It’s not a simple matter.