El Al to keep Chicago flights
By Jerusalem Post Staff


JERUSALEM (May 4) – El Al will continue flying from Tel Aviv to Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and Toronto, the company's board of directors decided earlier this week.

According to a company statement released in New York, El Al president David Hermesh said the carrier plans to "invest resources in business-oriented destinations, with an emphasis on service, security and safety.” The company will restructure its routes, eliminating unprofitable destinations in Asia, Africa and Europe, while maintaining or increasing the more popular business routes, such as New York, Paris, London and Frankfurt.

El Al’s board also decided to sell eight of the company’s planes – six 747-200s, eliminating that model from the fleet, and two 757s. Along with the recent purchase of three new 777s, and the addition of four new 747-400s, El Al will purchase a fourth new 777 and lease two 747-400s from Boeing, making El Al’s fleet one of the youngest in the industry.

The statement also said that El Al is investing almost $15 million to upgrade the First and Business Class sections of all long-range 747-400 and 767 aircraft. In addition, El Al is investing $3m. in a new terminal at New York’s JFK Airport, which is scheduled to open later this month
==========================================
Nice to know El Al is remaining commited to the North American market. Now, hopefully, with new equipment they will make TLV-MIA non-stop, instead of having passengers use a 757 feeder flight to JFK, and make TLV-LAX non-stop year round. Although I know niether of these should be priority at this moment, they would be nice in the next two-three years.