Israir receives FAA operational approval, expects to start selling tickets to US 'soon'

Israir announced on Monday that it had received approval to start operating flights from and to the United States from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

"Receiving the FAA approval is the final and decisive step in the regulatory process and joins the previous approvals the company received from aviation authorities in Israel and the US," the company said in a statement.

The airline said that it had now completed all the requirements and flight permits required to operate flights to North America, noting that it expected to start selling flight tickets soon.

"This is an international expression of trust from the American aviation authority in the quality, safety and operational reliability of the company," the statement added.

"We are excited to expand our map of destinations to North America, to increase competition in the market, and to provide our customers with quality service at competitive prices."

Israir aims for October debut of US flights

Last week, the company announced that it had received approval to sell tickets from the US Department of Transportation, with the airline aiming to have the first flights on October 19.

Israir “is in continuous contact with the FAA and is working in full cooperation with the relevant authorities, with the expectation that the approval process will be completed as soon as possible,” the airline said.

The main flight would be from Tel Aviv to New York, according to the company, with no other routes announced yet.

Israir’s other destinations include only two locations outside Europe and the Caucasus, namely Zanzibar, Tanzania, and Marrakesh, Morocco.