The airline of the hi-tech industry, known as TechAir, will be launching its flights come January 21, the company announced.
This came amid a serious crisis of flights to and from Israel due to international airlines’ cancellations of Israeli flights due to security concerns during the war.
The airline, which will run flights to and from the US on Airbus A330-900 planes until at least the end of March, will have its flights operated by another Israeli company. According to Julia Kogan Erlich, an angel investor in the fund who spoke to Mako last Wednesday, they cannot yet reveal which Israeli company it will be.
Nevertheless, according to Airways, this will be a wet lease. This means the owner will supply the aircraft and at least one crew member, and they will take on operational responsibility, including maintenance, insurance procurement, and other legal obligations related to operations.
“Flights are not final and are pending 35% booking and commitment,” the airline’s website warns. “Please assure to help us make it happen.”
Nevertheless, the temptation to book with the new airline is unmistakable. One-way flights run now in “presale prices” for as low as $900 (approximately NIS 3,300), and round-trips run at $1,550 (a little under NIS 5,700).
However, these bookings, once going into the registration page, are defined as a “non-binding commitment” — meaning that if you book the flight, you have to be on your toes.
Israel’s High-Tech Forum
Israel’s High-Tech Forum runs the airline, which launched its presale last week. Although it was supposed to last 72 hours, the airline’s website still shows that tickets are on sale. Nevertheless, once the discount expires, prices are expected to rise by 15-20%.
Even though the website says to fill in the name of one’s company when registering, it nevertheless allows you to book, even if you are not a member of Israel’s thriving hi-tech industry and want to travel to New York.
This comes at a time when it is nearly impossible to book a flight with the few airlines still operating regularly out of Israel. If one searches for flights in January on El Al’s website, for example, they are more than likely to encounter a message saying that there are no available tickets. Those that are available are in Premium Economy or higher and cost over $3,000 (approximately NIS 11,000) per round-trip ticket.
"The ongoing security situation in Israel has led to the suspension of many international flights, exacerbating the challenges for travelers, particularly those heading to New York," the TechAir website says.
"Recognizing the critical need for affordable and accessible travel, the Israeli High-Tech Headquarters has launched an innovative non-profit initiative, 'TechAir,' to address the growing crisis. This initiative aims to restore open skies for Israel, offering practical and cost-effective solutions to the scarcity of flights to the United States."
At first, the Forum aimed to exclude its flights from the Tibi Law, according to CTech, mandating compensation of NIS 3,000 for major flight changes exceeding eight hours. However, the law remains in effect, resulting in ticket prices higher than initially anticipated.
TechAir has scheduled 36 weekly flights for its three-month operational timeframe, according to Airways. It operates as a nonprofit organization, meaning that much of the work done to bring it to fruition has been “invested out of necessity,” Erlich told GeekTime. “I do not see a dollar or a cent, not even a plane ticket for the launch. We want participants in international panels to return, for investors to return.”