More than 100 community leaders attend celebration for future Miami-Tel Aviv service
(MIAMI, June 5, 2017) – On June 2, More than 100 community leaders joined Miami-Dade County officials for a reception and press conference to celebrate the announcement of Miami-Tel Aviv nonstop service by EL AL Israel Airlines, scheduled to begin on November 1.
Among those in attendance were: Congresswomen Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz; Florida Lt. Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera; Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez; Board of County Commissioners Chairman Esteban L. Bovo, Jr.; County Commissioners Sally Heyman and Daniela Levine Cava; City of Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine; EL AL Israel Airlines President and CEO David Maimon; and Lior Haiat, Consul General of Israel in Miami.
“We are proud to welcome EL AL Israel Airlines to our community, and to be the only destination in Florida and in the southeast U.S. with non-stop service to Tel Aviv,” said Mayor Gimenez. “Miami-Dade County and Miami International Airport continue to attract air service by the world’s top airlines from the world’s most influential cities.”
EL AL will operate three weekly roundtrip flights on Boeing 777-200 aircraft with 279 seats, which will bring thousands of new travelers to Miami from Israel and the Middle East monthly. Miami will be EL AL’s only destination in Florida and the airline’s fifth route in the U.S. EL AL flies to 36 destinations from Israel and serves hundreds of other destinations throughout the world via partnerships with leading carriers.
“We deeply appreciate EL AL Israel Airlines for choosing Miami as its fifth and newest U.S. destination,” said Miami-Dade Aviation Director Emilio T. González. “In our efforts to make MIA a truly global gateway, Israel has always been one of our top strategic targets because of its unique and historically significant global location, and because of its deep cultural ties with Miami. We look forward to offering our passengers another travel option to that region of the world.”
EL AL is the seventh international passenger airline to schedule a service launch into the Miami market this year. Mexican low-cost carrier Volaris began four weekly flights to Guadalajara and daily service to Mexico City on February 1; Canadian airline First Air began charter passenger flights on February 4 from Ontario; low-cost transatlantic airline WOW air launched thrice-weekly service to Reykjavík, Iceland on April 5; Avianca Brazil will begin daily service to Sao Paulo on June 24; Aer Lingus will launch three weekly flights to Dublin, Ireland on September 1; and SAS will begin weekly service to Stockholm, Sweden on October 29. MIA currently serves 106 airlines, which is the most of any U.S. airport.
Miami International Airport offers more flights to Latin America and the Caribbean than any other U.S. airport, is America’s second-busiest airport for international passengers, boasts a lineup of more than 100 air carriers and is the top U.S. airport for international freight. MIA, along with its general aviation airports, is also the leading economic engine for Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida, generating business revenue of $33.7 billion annually and welcoming 70 percent of all international visitors to Florida. MIA’s vision is to grow from a recognized hemispheric hub to a global airport of choice that offers customers a world-class experience and an expanded route network with direct passenger and cargo access to all world regions. MIA is committed to sustainable practices. Learn more at www.MIAefficiency.com.