bmi to launch daily services to Tel Aviv

bmi, Heathrow’s second biggest airline, has announced that it intends to launch a daily non stop service from Heathrow to Tel Aviv starting next spring.

The addition of Tel Aviv to the airline’s growing mid haul network from Heathrow has been made possible by the successful conclusion of bilateral talks between the UK and Israeli governments, allowing the designation of a second UK and Israeli airline on routes between London and Tel Aviv.

Nigel Turner, chief executive officer of bmi said:

“We are delighted that there has been a successful outcome to the inter-Government negotiations allowing the designation of a second UK airline. We will be applying to be designated immediately. I congratulate both the UK and Israeli Governments in recognising the need to bring wider competition to air travel between the two countries.

“bmi will be bringing to this market its reputation of delivering a superior product, both on the ground and in the air, for business and leisure traveller alike, as well as a range of highly competitive fares. Travellers choosing to fly with us will also benefit from flying with Heathrow’s most punctual airline, as well as being able to become a member of our diamond club, which is the UK’s most generous frequent flyer programme.

“Our network of services from Heathrow continues to grow and our new service to Tel Aviv will also operate from Terminal 1 where customers will be able to benefit from easy connections onto a wide range of other bmi services.

“The opportunity to be part of the growing business links and ties between the UK and Israel is extremely exciting and we shall look forward to playing our part in widening the competitive air links between the two countries, and the economic growth that this has historically achieved.

“I would like to thank the many organisations and individuals in the UK and especially in Israel who have supported us and urged us to press forward with serving Israel from Heathrow.”

The launch of services from Heathrow to Tel Aviv will grow the total number of destinations served by bmi from Heathrow to 39.

The full list of destinations is Aberdeen; Addis Ababa; Aleppo; Alicante; Almaty; Amman; Amsterdam; Ankara; Baku; Beirut; Belfast City; Bishkek; Brussels; Cairo; Dakar; Damascus; Dublin; Durham Tees Valley; Edinburgh; Ekaterinburg; Freetown; Glasgow; Hanover; Inverness; Jeddah; Jersey; Khartoum; Leeds Bradford; Lyon; Manchester; Moscow Domodedovo; Naples; Nice; Palma Mallorca; Riyadh; Tbilisi; Tehran; Tel Aviv; Yerevan.