El Al Israel Airlines to start nonstop flights to Miami

[May 03, 2017]  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Flag carrier El Al Israel Airlines  said on Wednesday it will launch nonstop flights between Tel Aviv and Miami in November, its fifth city in North America.

An El Al Airlines aircraft is seen at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel July 14, 2015. REUTERS/Nir Elias/File Photo

El Al will operate three weekly flights to Miami with Boeing 777-200 aircraft, it said.

"This decision is part ... of the strategy in which we recognized the importance of the trans-Atlantic routes and our desire on expanding El Al's presence in North America," said David Maimon, El Al's chief executive.

El Al already flies nonstop to North American cities New York, Los Angeles, Boston and Toronto.

Looking to bolster its aging long-haul fleet of Boeing 767s, 747s and 777s, El Al is spending $1.25 billion on 15 new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, which will start to be delivered to the company later this year.

(Reporting by Steven Scheer)

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