Airbus cracks Israir

Israel based carrier Israir Airlines today signed a firm order for three Airbus A320 aircraft, making the airline the first Airbus customer in the country. The deal marks Airbus’ breakthrough in the Israeli market.

The aircraft will be configured in all economy class with 174 seats. Israir Airlines will place the aircraft on routes from Israel to all its European destinations. Engines for the aircraft have yet to be chosen.

Israir Airlines was established in 1996 and started off with domestic routes within Israel from Eilat, Tel Aviv and Haifa. The airline now accounts for almost 40 per cent of domestic air travel. Israir Airlines is also the second largest operator of international flights in Israel.

The A320 along with the A318, the A319, and the largest A321 is a member of the A320 Family. Each member features fly-by-wire controls and cockpit commonality across the range, allowing flight crews to fly each aircraft with minimal additional training.