Melbourne-Tel Aviv planned for 2020
El Al has advised the Tel Aviv Exchange that it trialling return flights from Tel Aviv to Melbourne with a possibility of opening the route to traffic in the second quarter of next year.
The airline will use the Dreamliner 787 on the non-stop route with a duration of 16 hours 45 minutes to Melbourne with one more hour on the return trip.
El Al’s representative office in Australia told J-Wire: “We do not have an official media release from El Al head office in Tel Aviv yet.”
The planned route is subject to regulatory approvals.
Melbourne is a curious choice for the destination. Admittedly, it has a larger Jewish population than Sydney, but Sydney is more attractive for businessmen and tourists. One way or the other, El Al would have to provide domestic connecting flights at a steep discount.