Final yr I first wrote about an Israeli airline startup, with some large names behind it (each when it comes to deep pockets and aviation expertise). I needed to share an replace, because the airline has simply put its first flights on sale, so we now have a way of what we are able to count on from the airline. I’m each intrigued and a bit confused.
Particulars of the brand new airline based mostly at Haifa Airport
Air Haifa is a brand new airline that’s based mostly at Haifa Airport (HFA), within the north of Israel. Not solely is that this the primary Israeli airline startup because the Nineteen Nineties, but it surely’ll even be the primary airline to be based mostly in Haifa, which is a helpful various to flying out of Tel Aviv (TLV), given how busy the airport can get.
There are additionally some critical folks behind the airline, together with the previous CEO, CCO, and VP of Operations, of EL AL. The largest shareholder of this new airline is Nir Zuk, founding father of Palo Alto Networks.
So, what’s the marketing strategy?
- Air Haifa will function out of Haifa Airport, year-round to locations within the Mediterranean and Crimson Sea; preliminary locations will embrace Eilat (ETM) and Larnaca (LCA)
- Air Haifa will function a fleet of ATR 72-600 turboprops, in a single cabin format, with 72 seats in a 2-2 configuration; the primary plane has already been delivered
- Air Haifa describes its fares as “easy, reasonably priced, and handy air journey,” as they only embrace a private merchandise, after which you need to pay for full measurement carry-on baggage, checked baggage, and seat assignments
- Air Haifa has the aim of “bringing financial alternative to the three million Israelis who reside within the north of the nation”
- Air Haifa is advertising comfort as a serious draw of flying with the airline — “as a substitute of a protracted drive to the airport and arriving three hours earlier than the flight to attend on strains and on the gate, our passengers will benefit from the comfort of flying internationally from their native airport and getting from their doorstep to onboard the airplane in lower than 90 minutes”
- For these curious concerning the firm’s brand, it’s a pine cone, that are frequent within the area the place the airline is predicated
So, with Air Haifa now promoting tickets, what’s pricing trying like? Air Haifa will launch flights to Eilat as of October 13, 2024, and to Larnaca as of October 14, 2024. Fares are very cheap, and begin at simply $64 one-way. Fares embrace a private merchandise, plus free flight modifications.
You then’ll pay further for hand baggage, checked baggage, and seat choice. For instance, seat assignments begin at $2, whereas checked baggage begin at $30.
That is actually a singular airline startup…
In so many elements of the world we see airline startups principally replicating each other, and never bringing a lot to the desk. So in that sense, Air Haifa deserves quite a lot of credit score, because it’s not your typical airline startup.
At present, Haifa Airport solely sees a really restricted quantity of seasonal airline site visitors, and it’s in any other case a basic aviation airport. So having an intensive community out of a handy airport is sweet for customers.
The problem with Haifa Airport is that the runway is simply 4,324 toes lengthy. Because of this in its present kind, the airport can solely accommodate turboprops. That additionally explains why Air Haifa doesn’t have plans to fly any jets.
On the floor, launching an airline with planes that don’t have nice per-seat working prices could seem counterintuitive. However I feel what the airline is doing is smart — it has entry to an enormous market, and hopes to supply the mix of comfort and good worth. In the long term, don’t count on Ryanair or Wizz Air pricing right here, although.
The overall problem, for my part, is that it looks like there are solely so many markets the airline can fly to. The ATR 72-600 has a most vary of round 850 miles. In fact you additionally want gas reserves, and that doesn’t think about headwinds, plus Israeli airways having to keep away from quite a lot of airspace.
For instance, under is a map displaying a spread of 750 miles from Haifa, which might be realistically so far as the airline can fly, and even that may be pushing it.
I can’t assist however marvel what number of markets this realistically leaves, particularly on a year-round foundation. I do know the main target is on the Mediterranean and Crimson Sea, so will the airline simply fly primarily to Greece and Cyprus, or…?
It’ll be attention-grabbing to see how this undertaking develops. There are plans for Haifa Airport to ultimately be expanded, with an extended runway. So I suppose Air Haifa is taking part in the lengthy sport right here, and acknowledges that it is a area with a large inhabitants, so there’s quite a lot of development potential.
Backside line
Air Haifa is an airline startup that’s based mostly at Israel’s Haifa Airport. The airline will shortly be launching operations, initially flying to Eilat and Larnaca. It’s attention-grabbing to see an airline flying turboprops on this approach, since that’s not precisely best when it comes to low per-seat working prices, plus potential vary. Then once more, there’s not a lot of an possibility right here, given the size of the runway in Haifa.
What’s your tackle Air Haifa?