Israir has received approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation to begin selling tickets for its planned Tel Aviv-New York service, clearing a key regulatory hurdle for the Israeli low-cost carrier. Ticket sales are due to open next week, while the route is targeted to start on 19 October, subject to final FAA operating clearance.
The airline is still waiting for the Federal Aviation Administration to complete its review before it can launch the flights. Once that approval is granted, Israir plans to begin operating immediately and could move the start date forward if the sign-off comes earlier.
The service would add a new competitor on one of the most closely watched long-haul routes out of Israel, where pricing and capacity are under constant scrutiny. Israir has been building out its wide-body operation for the U.S. market and is preparing aircraft, crews and route readiness at Ben Gurion Airport ahead of the planned launch.