Starting October 28 to March 24, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) will operate flights between Stockholm and southern city of Eilat. Israel Ministry of Tourism, in cooperation with Swedish airline SAS, announced today.
In October 2015 SAS, the carrier of Sweden, Denmark and Norway, halted its flights to Tel Aviv because the route was no longer profitable. The company cited “political instability” as part behind the decision.
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The new route is a result of campaign to encourage tourism to the Red Sea resort by offering airways €45 for each tourist that they bring to Israel. The Israel Hotels Association pays carriers an additional €15 per tourist.
Tourism Minister Yariv Levin welcomed the company’s decision and said “We are seeing a most unusual boost in carriers flying to Israel and bringing record breaking numbers of tourists. SAS is joining this wave of new carriers operating in Israel. Only recently many carriers including WOW air, Ryanair, Wizz Air, Hainan, Cathay Pacific and Air India launched new routes to Israel.”
SAS commercial manager in Sweden Anders Wahlstrom said, “Eilat on the Red Sea coast offers a broad range of options for tourists including golden beaches, amazing hotels and night life. The city has been a magnet for tourists for decades. We see more people wanting to fly with us to warm destinations, especially in the winter.”
