Start-up Air Haifa takes second ATR as conflict interferes with network

Start-up Israeli carrier Air Haifa has taken delivery of a second ATR 72-600, as it negotiates the problems of expanding operations during the current conflict in the region. The airline emerged around July this year and introduced its first aircraft a couple of weeks later. “Our second aircraft is already here,” the carrier stated on 9 October, after the ATR was flown from Toulouse to Tel Aviv, via Crete. While the airline has been aiming to operate from Haifa, in the north of Israel, the broadening of the Gaza conflict to Lebanon has complicated the airline’s strategy. Its latest aircraft has remained at Tel Aviv, operating flights to the Jordanian capital Amman. Air Haifa says that, owing to the “security situation and circumstances beyond our control”, it cannot operate planned services to Eilat which were scheduled for 13-25 October. It adds that it is also unable to operate its Larnaca flights from Haifa, and that the service – between one and three daily flights – will instead depart from Tel Aviv over 14-26 October. But the carrier says it hopes to commence Haifa operations on 27 October, circumstances permitting.<br/>