Israir Finalizes $85 Million Acquisition of Two Airbus A330s to Launch New York Flights
Israeli carrier Israir is finalizing an $85 million acquisition of two Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft, a major step that will allow the airline to launch nonstop long-haul flights between Tel Aviv and New York. To ensure maximum operational reliability, the company plans to utilize a dry lease model for the wide-body planes, allowing the transatlantic route to be fully operated and maintained by its own Israeli flight and maintenance crews.
The significant investment in these two aircraft comes as the airline positions itself to begin servicing the route as early as the third quarter of this year. By bringing in its own dedicated wide-body fleet, Israir aims to capitalize on the massive demand for transatlantic travel during a period of reduced market capacity.
The strategic fleet expansion will introduce a third Israeli airline to the highly competitive New York corridor. This move comes at a critical time for the local aviation market, as major American legacy carriers have implemented extended service suspensions to Ben Gurion Airport, leaving a substantial gap in direct flight availability to the United States.
