Competition in Israeli skies heats up with planned new airline

Israeli tourism group Kavei Hufsha is set to launch a new Israeli airline. The group, co-owned by Ami Cohen and Arnon Englander, already operates two European airlines—Blue Bird (Greece) and Tus Airways (Cyprus)—and is now seeking to expand its operations with an Israeli carrier. "We have begun the process with the Civil Aviation Authority to obtain a license for a new Israeli airline," Cohen told Ynet on Tuesday. "This airline will operate alongside our existing carriers, not replace them. They will continue to serve Israel, while the new airline will complement them. It will be owned by Kavei Hufsha and serve as a sister company to Tus Airways and Blue Bird. We are a privately owned group and intend to remain so." The new airline is expected to increase competition in Israel’s aviation sector, particularly against El Al, Israir and Arkia, which dominate flights to popular vacation destinations. However, by the time the airline becomes operational, foreign carriers are expected to have resumed full operations in Israel, following disruptions during the recent war. During that period, only Israeli airlines operated flights, leading to significant price hikes<br/>