El Al to Begin Nonstop Flights to Melbourne, Australia

Will it be possible to fly from Israel to Australia without any stops on the way? According to an El Al announcement Wednesday, the answer is affirmative. In a report to the Tel Aviv stock exchange, the airline announced its intention to launch the pilot flights during the second quarter of 2020, subject to regulatory approvals. The flights will be using the Dreamliner 787. The flight from Israel will take about 16 hours and 45 minutes, while the return flight from Australia will be 17 hours and 45 minutes.

Currently, there is no direct route from Israel to Australia, and transferring to the connecting flight in Far Eastern cities like Bangkok or Hong Kong often requires long hours of waiting.

The company also said that it concluded the third quarter of 2019 with growth in business activity, an increase in market share, a decrease in fuel costs, and a profit of $27 million.