After a number of complaints surfaced on the networks in recent days in response to the high flight prices of the Israeli airlines, the Ministry of Economy hastened to announce that they will consider taking measures against the companies that take advantage of the flight cancellations of the companies after the EASA decision to raise prices.
The storm of the last few days comes after a number of Israelis stranded abroad announced that even after finding free flight delays, their prices reached $800 per passenger. At the heart of the controversy, the Ministry of Economy decided to name the Arkia company, which is now issuing an official statement.
In the meantime, Arkia chose to issue its own statement about the flight cancellations: "The war against EASA, the European Aviation Safety Agency, which stopped the flights to Israel should be the Israeli government's. EASA's decision, which in the eyes of many is anti-Israeli, puts the airlines in Israel in an impossible situation possible.
"Arkia, as a provider of solutions for Israelis stranded abroad, finds itself in a daily struggle to rescue the citizens of the country, who chose to fly on the same foreign companies that abandoned them abroad. Every day, approximately 15,000 more Israelis find themselves stranded abroad. The Israeli government does not currently have the answer, with the exception of the Israeli companies that always mobilize in times of crisis."
The message also states, "This is a national event that requires the intervention of the state - to return everyone home before the holiday. The fight against EASA's decision should be the Israeli government's and thus we will also return to operation the leased planes at our disposal."
Oz Berlowitz, CEO of Arkia, added: "I take seriously the EASA decision to stop all flights to Israel and abandon tens of thousands of Israelis around the world, certainly on the eve of Tishrei holidays. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the company's air and ground crews who are working 24/7 to bring everyone home. I hope the public will understand that we are in the midst of a war and will not give up until everyone returns home."
The Ministry of Transportation stated: "Transportation Minister Miri Regev arrived in Hungary in the last few hours and is holding a marathon of meetings with the relevant ministers in order to cancel the European Union's recommendation regarding flights to Israel. Minister Regev had another conversation with Minister Goyas, one of the ministers closest to Prime Minister Orban (Hungary she is the president of the European Union) as well as with Minister Janos Boka, the minister responsible for the European Union (with whom you will also meet later).In addition, you will later meet the CEO of WIZZ in order to help change the European Union's decision.
"At the same time, the Director General of the Ministry of Transportation, Moshe Ben Zaken, and the head of the Directorate of Civil Aviation, Shmuel Zakai, are holding talks with the directors of the EASA organization, making it clear to them that there is no security risk to fly to Israel and the decision was due to foreign motives.