New Israeli low-cost carrier can’t take off from Haifa amid Hezbollah rocket fire

Air Haifa, a new low-cost airline launched to bring down pricey short-haul flights for residents of northern Israel, is scheduled for the first time to take off next week — but for now, not out of the northern city of Haifa as planned, as fighting in the area has sharply escalated between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror group.

Air Haifa, Israel’s first new airline since the 1990s, which prides itself on being the first commercial airline to be based in the northern city, will launch its first route to the southern resort city of Eilat on Monday from Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv after receiving an operating license and authorization from the Transportation Ministry.

Due to the closure of airspace north of Hadera amid the heightened security situation, the carrier plans to initially operate two daily flights from Ben Gurion Airport to Eilat at a cost of NIS 99 ($27) for a one-way route until October 11, the eve of Yom Kippur.

After more than 11 months of cross-border violence in the country’s north — beginning October 8, when the Hezbollah started firing rockets at Israel in support of its ally Hamas, one day after the Iran-backed terror group carried out a massacre in Israel —  Israel and Hezbollah have stepped up fighting in recent days, with hundreds of rockets fired at Israel and intensive IDF airstrikes on Hezbollah sites in Lebanon, as well as the targeted assassinations of a number of the terror group’s leaders.

Subject to the security situation and the approval of the relevant authorities, Air Haifa said it plans to start operating the first flight from Haifa International Airport to Eilat on October 13, and on October 14 to Cyprus.

“This is a historic moment for the Israeli aviation industry – and after 30 years a new Israeli airline joins to serve the residents of Israel in general and the north in particular,” said Transportation Minister Miri Regev. “Despite the complex security situation, we manage not only to keep the skies open, but also to expand flight options for Israeli citizens.”

People look at a damaged house that was hit by a rocket fired from Lebanon, near Safed, northern Israel, on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP/Leo Correa)

Air Haifa was co-founded in 2023 by a group of Israeli entrepreneurs led by Nir Zuk, American-Israeli founder of cybersecurity giant Palo Alto Networks, and Lior Yavor, together with former senior executives of Israel’s flagship carrier El Al Israel Airlines Gonen Usishkin and Michael Strassburger.

The launch of commercial air travel from Haifa airport was hoped to relieve congestion at Ben Gurion International Airport, and for many Israelis living in the north of the country, it was going to provide a closer alternative to the busy airport.

With the outbreak of the war in Gaza in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas terror assault, many foreign airlines temporarily grounded their flights to Israel, leaving travelers from the country’s international Ben Gurion Airport almost entirely dependent on Israeli carriers El Al Israel Airlines, Israir, and Arkia. Air travel costs have been skyrocketing, as foreign carriers struggle to gradually resume full service to Israel and demand is high.

“The activity of Air Haifa is expected to significantly upgrade the connectivity between the north and Eilat and to popular destinations in the Mediterranean region,” said Usishkin.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.