Photo: ReutersBen Gurion Airport, Israel: Saudi Arabia opened its airspace for the first time to a commercial flight to Israel with the inauguration on Thursday of an Air India route between New Delhi and Tel Aviv. Riyadh has not formally confirmed granting the Air India plane overflight rights. Israel’s flag carrier, excluded from the Saudi route, says its Indian competitor now has an unfair advantage. If El Al planes were to fly on to New Delhi, a destination El Al has said it might be interested in, they would require another two hours—and significantly more fuel. Interviewed on Israel’s Army Radio, Levin voiced confidence that El Al would eventually be allowed to use Saudi airspace.

Source: Mint March 23, 2018 03:11 UTC