The planes are half empty: Coronation panic smuggles Israelis out of Thailand

The corona virus effect dramatically affects the booking of flights from Israel to Thailand, and El Al planes fly with up to 70% of available space. Travel agencies report a 50% reduction in state bookings, but the price of the flight has not dropped nearly

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The panic of the Corona virus is affecting the Israelis' favorite destination, and a check we conducted on El Al's booking site shows that the Israelis are pointing their feet, and the planes are leaving pretty empty. In search of flights we made to Thailand for the next few days and weeks in El Al, the only company flying directly to the destination from Israel, we found dozens of vacancies.

On the flight on February 19 on the company's Dreamliner 787-8 aircraft, out of 236 seats, 154 were vacant. On the February 27 flight, 120 seats remained (more than half a plane). Also on a flight departing on February 22 on the Dreamliner 787-9 aircraft, which has 280 seats, 179 seats remained (more than 60 percent). The flight leaving Israel on February 29 on its Boeing 777 has 277 seats, currently has 188 vacancies.

Even in March around the corner, the number of orders did not bode well for God. On the March 1 flight, out of 280 seats in the company's 787-9 DreamLiner, there are 192 seats (about 70 percent). On the March 6 flight, out of 269 seats, 109 vacancies were found and on the March 14 and 15 flights, 154 vacancies were found in each.

Cruise industry in big crisis: 80% drop in orders from Israel

The planes leave for Thailand half empty. El Al planes (Photo: PR)

Illustration of El Al's 737-900 aircraft (Photo: PR, PR)

El Al reported to the stock exchange its operations regarding the consequences of the Corona virus that "in light of the Ministry of Health's guidelines, the company is adjusting its operations to Bangkok, following a temporary suspension of its flights to Beijing and Hong Kong and examining the consequences." As a result, El Al reduced its flights from two-day flights to one flight.

In a letter sent by El Al Gonen Ussishkin's CEO yesterday to the company's employees, he wrote: "Difficult days ahead of us and even though dramatic steps and painful decisions may be required," and the aviation crisis may require layoffs, including flight attendants.

Various travel agencies also report a decline in demand for Thailand. "We canceled the organized trips to Thailand by the end of March," she said in a call to Walla! Tourism Shirley Cohen Orkavi, VP of marketing and sales at Woman Torres. However, Orkavi says that the fact that Thailand has entered the disease is exaggerated and does not reflect reality. "We think the hysteria is excessive," she says, The agencies report that there is a 40 percent increase in hotel bookings in Israel. "Israelis want freedom and they fear terminals," she concludes.

Gulliver's tourism site data also indicate a 50 percent reduction in bookings for flights to Thailand. "Corona panic is first and foremost a psychological effect affecting the entire aviation industry," said Gulliver's CEO Ziv Rosen. "We continue to see an increase in average far-east flights sales estimated at 20 percent, including a decrease in Passover bookings. Ministry of Health announcements this week about expanding isolation to return from other places in the east are likely to increase the wave of flight cancellations. Alongside this, there is an increase in bookings to North and South America, probably from travelers who have converted their Passover vacation from the East to these destinations. "

After China, El Al stops flights to Hong Kong as well

People wear masks at Bankcock airport for fear of Corona virus (Photo: AP)

People wearing masks at Bankcock Thailand airport for fear of Corona virus on January 31, 2020 (Photo: AP)

Despite the drop in orders, the price has not really gone down

On the other hand, Uncle Zion, the Torres woman's main guide to the Far East, has only recently returned with a group from Thailand. He said no panic was felt on the streets, the night market was full as were the malls and other Bangkok tourist sites. "Kawasan Street was a bustling person, and everyone was acting normal," he said. "Whatever it is, you don't see Chinese tourists at all, which I recognize as one who has lived in the East for more than 20 years."

He said El Al's flights to and from Thailand were full. However, as to the future, my uncle says there are cancellations of tour groups in the East, and the virus certainly affects but not overwhelmingly Thailand. I have seen many European tourists with their children vacationing across the country, ”he concludes.

Checking prices we made today for El Al flights to Thailand in the coming weeks did not raise prices as we thought. For example, a LITE card (the most discounted, which includes only a handbag) from Israel on February 25 and back on March 4 will cost $ 809 per person. The same ticket from February 29 to March 4 will be more expensive and will stand at $ 884 per person. A flight from March 2 to March 1 will cost $ 689 per person.