El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. announced the arrival of its newest Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which landed Monday morning in Tel Aviv after a direct flight from the Boeing factory in Seattle, using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
The historic flight marks El Al’s first use of SAF and signifies the company’s commitment to reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases. Thirty percent of the total fuel used in the flight from Seattle to Tel Aviv was SAF, which is chemically similar to traditional fossil jet fuel but is produced from sources such as carbon in the air and produces significantly less carbon emissions than fossil fuel.
In June 2023, El Al joined the IATA Environmental Assessment Program, which assesses the commitment of the world’s leading airlines to improving their environmental and sustainability performance. El Al’s participation in the certification program is meant to establish the company as a global leader in sustainable air travel.
The aircraft’s arrival was celebrated with a water salute ceremony which was attended by El Al CEO Dina Ben Tal Ganancia, Nof Hagalil’s Mayor Ronen Plot, President of Boeing Israel Ido Nehushtan, Kenny Rozenberg, and Daryl Hagler.
Growth and sustainability
“Welcoming a new Dreamliner jet is always an exciting event for us. Today’s historic arrival of our first jet using SAF marks another important milestone in our strategic plan – expanding and renewing our fleet and strengthening our commitment to sustainability,” Dina Ben Tal Ganancia said.
“We are grateful to Boeing for our long-term partnership, which has helped us provide our customers with the safest and most enjoyable travel experience.”
- El Al CEO Dina Ben Tal Ganancia
The new Dreamliner is the fourth 787-8 in El Al’s fleet and part of the company’s most recent acquisition of new aircraft. The financing transaction was arranged by ABL Aviation and is the 6th JOLCO financing transaction executed by El Al since 2018. The jet can accommodate 238 passengers in three classes – Business, Premium, and Economy.
El Al’s Dreamliner fleet now includes four Boeing 787-8 aircraft and 12 787-9 aircraft, which fly to international destinations in North America, Europe, and the Far East. The arrival of the newest Dreamliner aircraft is part of El Al’s strategic plan to expand and renew its fleet, improve the customer experience, and focus on more efficient fuel usage.