On Monday, a document surfaced on the X network showing an El Al Boeing 787 en route from Los Angeles International Airport to Tel Aviv, escorted closely by airport police in the city.
While El Al has had airport security at LAX and other airports globally, being escorted by police vehicles is not a regular occurrence. Given the current war with Gaza, this increase in security is not unexpected.
Interesting scene at LAX on Sunday as the EL AL Dreamliner received what seemed to be a police escort while taxiing for its flight back to Tel Aviv.
— AIRLINE VIDEOS (@airlinevideos) October 9, 2023
El Al operated flight LY6 from Los Angeles, departing at 2:51 p.m. local time on Sunday and arriving in Tel Aviv at 2:04 p.m. local time.
Two police cars on the runway
According to the documentation, the Dreamliner with registration 4X-EDF showcased El Al's retro livery, reminiscent of their planes from decades ago. This particular aircraft, named "Rehovot," joined the fleet in 2018 and is one of the company's 16 Dreamliners.
The police escort, comprising two cars, drove alongside the plane on the runway before takeoff. While the security of El Al planes in various destinations worldwide, such as Germany where they are accompanied by military personnel, is not uncommon in the world of Israeli aviation, witnessing two police cars beside an Israeli plane in the United States is a rare occurrence.