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Etihad Airways operated a historic first passenger flight from Abu Dhabi to Tel Aviv and back this Monday. This makes it the first airline from the Gulf region to fly to Israel. At the end of August, El Al carried out the first flight in reverse.
Etihad flew to Tel Aviv on a travel trade mission. In Israel, businessmen, travel agents and journalists boarded the Boeing 787 Dreamliner of the United Arab Emirates flag carrier. The three-day trip takes place at the invitation of Etihad and the tourist industry in Abu Dhabi.
The United Arab Emirates and Israel recently concluded a historic agreement on the initiative of the United States. In doing so, both countries entered into diplomatic ties for the first time. This also leads to the establishment of trade and tourism between both countries.
The plans also include scheduled services between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, but due to strict travel restrictions, no flights have yet been scheduled. Etihad is also the first non-Israeli airline in the Middle East to open a website in Hebrew.
Israel has also concluded an agreement with Bahrain to establish diplomatic ties. To seal the agreement, an El Al plane flew with an Israeli delegation from Tel Aviv through Saudi airspace to Manama, the capital of the Gulf state, on Sunday.