El Al, Gulf Air sign MOU for direct Israel-Bahrain flights
The first direct flight between Tel Aviv and Manama is set to take place January 7, 2021
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFThe logos of El Al and Gulf Air are seen in this illustrative photo.(photo credit: EL AL)
El Al has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Bahraini flag carrier Gulf Air, which will allow for direct flights between Tel Aviv and Manama for the first time in history.The agreement was signed by El Al board of directors chairman David Brodent and his Gulf Air counterpart Zayed Al Zayani, who also serves as Bahrain's economy, trade and tourism minister, during the latter's official visit to Israel.In a statement, Al Zayani welcomed the move as a way of furthering ties to achieve peace in the region.The first direct flight between Tel Aviv and Manama is set to take place on January 7, 2021, according to the Israeli financial daily Globes.The move follows similar agreements made between El Al and Eithad Airways in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, which will see direct daily flights between Tel Aviv and the UAE starting March 28. There, just as the case with Gulf Air, the flights will be timed to connect with flights in Europe, Asia and Australia.Both MOUs are reflective of the newly formalized ties between the two Gulf states and Israel, which were made as part of the Abraham Accords signed in Washington on September 15.
