Hitting six: EasyJet expands flights to Israel and Morocco

Hitting six EasyJet exp

By STEVE LINDE
The UK's largest airline, easyJet, this month launched a weekly schedule of six daily flights between London and Tel Aviv. The budget airline, known for offering discount flights to destinations around the world, offers a one-way fare for £71.99. Passengers are required to pay extra for food, baggage and other expenses. Easyjet said it was operating a new Airbus A320 six days a week, excluding Fridays. The flight from London (Luton) leaves at 11:30 a.m. daily, landing at Ben-Gurion Airport at 6:35 p.m. The flight back to England leaves 50 minutes later, landing in Luton at 11:05 p.m. The top management of the airline flew to Israel to inaugurate the service on November 2 on a plane that carried 171 passengers. "This is a major breakthrough," said Andy Harrison, easyJet's chief executive in a statement. "For the first time, the traveling public the London area has the choice between a high-cost tradition airline and a low-cost alternative." Commercial manager Sophie Dekkers added: "With such competitive fares, easyJet's entry to the Israeli market will open a window for many Israelis to discover London and make London more accessible to both business and leisure travelers.' Coinciding with its new schedule, easyJet unveiled a special kosher menu. The food is provided by Hermolis, a company based in northwest London, and costs extra. It includes sandwiches and bagels from £3.50, as well as muffins and cakes. Sources in easyJet said the company had also requested permission to fly to Israel from Paris and Madrid. It also inaugurated a twice-weekly service this month between London (Gatwick) to the beach resort of Agadir in southern Morocco. The airline advertises a one-way fare for £32.99, while a return trip costs £56.98 . EasyJet is apparently seeking to recuperate from financial losses this year, and compete more strongly with traditional airlines. It announced that it would add a total of 23 routes by the end of the year, including services across the Mediterranean and the Middle East. The airline flies to 111 airports in 28 countries.