EL AL plane lands in Turkey to collect coronavirus aid for US
El Al's Dreamliner aircraft, which was converted to be able to carry cargo, landed in Istanbul on Sunday and took 24 tons of humanitarian equipment for the fight against the coronavirus.
By OMRI RONEL AL plane lands in Istanbul, Turkey to deliver coronavirus aid, May 24, 2020(photo credit: EL AL)
For the first time in a decade, an EL AL flight has landed in Turkey to collect humanitarian aid to help the US fight the coronavirus.The Dreamliner plane landed in Istanbul at 7.a.m. and loaded around 24 tons of humanitarian aid and equipment to help the virus-stricken country. The US has so far recorded over 1.6 million coronavirus cases and suffered more than 97,400 deaths.El Al has been authorized to operate two flights for humanitarian purposes this week; the company has applied to the Turkish authorities for permission to operate flights on a regular basis.The plane will return to Tel Aviv from Istanbul before continuing on to New York.Israel's national carrier has converted some of its planes to cargo planes for the duration of the coronavirus crisis, but has made moves Sunday morning in an attempt to resume international flights as soon as possible.El Al has been one of the companies hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis, which made it nearly impossible for international flights to continue. Most of its employees have been sent on unpaid leave, announcing earlier this month that it has extended it for thousands of employees until June 30.
