Zionist entity’s largest airline has appealed to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), requesting the body’s help in obtaining permission to access Saudi Arabia’s airspace for a direct flight to India.
Agreeing to overflights by the Israeli airline would mark a significant change of policy for the Arab state, which has never recognized the Zionist entity.
El Al newly appointed CEO Gonen Usishkin wrote a letter to Alexandre de Juniac, head of the trade association consisting of 278 airlines from 117 countries, asking to not be “discriminated” against compared with Indian airline Air India, Reuters reported Thursday.
The request came in response to reports last month that Saudi Arabia had okayed the use of its airspace for Air India flights between Tel Aviv and New Delhi, reports that were quickly denied by Saudi officials, who have been accused of making many steps towards normalizing ties with the occupation regime.
However, the El Al chief said slot information from the Israeli Airports Authority indicated those flights are slated to begin on March 6.
“I am approaching you and kindly requesting IATA to intervene and to represent aviation industry’s interest by advocating equal overfly rights for all carriers over the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and opposing any form of discrimination,” Usishkin wrote in the letter, sent on Wednesday, according to the report.
Usishkin asked Juniac to intervene and prevent “an uneven playing field,” the report added.
He also wrote that he had appealed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for help in resolving the issue.
Source: Israeli media
