The beach in Protaras, Cyprus (Photo: Yifat Sani)
ISSTA and Israir issued a joint "dramatic" announcement yesterday announcing to the people of Israel the start of marketing direct packages from Haifa to Cyprus (Larnaca and Paphos) in the coming summer season.
According to the announcement, the airlines will operate three flights daily, six days a week, priced from $3 for a round-trip flight or from $299 for a package that also includes accommodation (based on a person in a double room).
"Flights from Haifa airport will dramatically shorten the way to vacation for residents of the north," said the announcement, which was described as great news for residents living from Netanya and the north. "Passengers will save queues in security, queues at flight registration, enjoy 'almost' private jets, a large variety of family vacation packages and free parking at Haifa Airport."
Beauty. Really great news. But. If it's so good, why didn't they think about it before, or why they canceled this line that operated a few years ago. And if that's so good, why do I laugh when I keep reading the article over and over again and trying to understand exactly what they're trying to sell me with the words 'dramatic' and 'great news.'
Israir's maiden flight from Haifa airport to Larnaca (Photo: official website, Yoav Etiel)
So let's make some order
These ISSTA/Israir flights will be operated by a Malta airline called Universal Air Malta. This is an airline that deals with charter flights, transportation of small cargo, medical flights and more. The airline operates a 37-seat Dash-8 Model 100. Production of these aircraft was discontinued in 2005, so at best these are 18-year-old aircraft. But a check on the websites shows that the company has two such planes. Both had already forgotten when they were 20. Their ages according to the websites: 26 and 31
Assuming flights to Cyprus are full, this will carry 666 passengers per week (three daily flights six days a week). In other words, during the four months during which the flights will operate (from the end of June until after the Tishrei holiday), about 10,500 passengers will fly from Haifa to Cyprus. An examination of Ben Gurion Airport's reports for the corresponding months in 2022 shows that during the same period, about 352,000 passengers flew on the route between Israel and Cyprus, i.e., about 176,000 passengers in each direction. In other words, the number of passengers flying from Haifa to Cyprus will constitute barely 6% of all passengers flying to Cyprus in the summer. What's more. The area between Netanya and the north of the country is home to close to three million residents. In other words, the number of passengers flying from Haifa to Cyprus during the summer season will constitute about 0.35% of the number of residents in this area. In other words, there is no great or dramatic news here.
But that's nothing else. Until a few years ago, flights from Haifa to Cyprus were operated by TUS, a Cypriot airline. The company operated SAAB2000 34-seat SAAB2000 aircraft on the route between Haifa and Cyprus, and later switched to operating larger Fokker-75 aircraft with about 80 seats. Operating the Saab aircraft was not worthwhile because the costs of operating the aircraft, as well as quite a few malfunctions, made the operation unprofitable. In light of this, the company decided to operate a larger Fokker-70 aircraft with about 85 seats. But here a new problem arose. Due to the short runway at Haifa airport, the planes could take off from Haifa at full capacity, but landing with a full plane was impossible. In other words, the company had a problem that it could not operate the planes at full capacity, a situation that made the operation problematic. Years of promises by several transport ministers to extend the route in Haifa melted in water before it could dry. And this situation will probably continue for many years to come.
Another problem with operations in Haifa is that it is an airport that is cut off from other airlines. In other words, if one of the companies has a problem at Ben Gurion Airport, passengers can be transferred to another company or to other planes. On the other hand, a malfunction in the plane at Haifa Airport forced the operators to send the passengers home, or transfer them by ground shuttle to Ben Gurion Airport, or leave them waiting for several hours at an unfriendly airport, without duty-free shops, without normal dining places, and more. In light of this, the company decided to close operations and the airport remained deserted with regard to international flights and flights between Haifa and Eilat after Arkia and Israir sold their ATR aircraft.
And regarding the new flights offered by ISSTA/Israir. Today we checked prices on ISSTA/Israir flights from Haifa to Cyprus (Paphos) and from Ben Gurion Airport to Cyprus. The test was done on Israir's website and in conversation with ISSTA. The test was done on random dates.
More in Walla!
10 weeks and you will know how to swim and distance rowing! TI is committed to success!
CONTRIBUTED BY TI SWIM
Larnaca Port in Cyprus (Photo: ShutterStock, Shutterstock)
And here are the results
A flight from Haifa to Paphos on July 2 and back on July 9 was offered to us on 'sale' for $374 per passenger. You are allowed to bring a bag of up to 7 kg on the flight. If you want to carry a suitcase as well, you have an extra $60. A flight from Haifa to Paphos on August 23 and back on August 30 was offered to us (the dispatcher apologized that it was high season and therefore expensive) for $600. Person. Want a suitcase too? There is an extra $60.
We tested similar Israir flights from Ben Gurion Airport to Paphos. Flight on July 2 and back on 9. The price we were offered was $251 with a handbag and $331 with a suitcase. Flight on July 24 and return on August 31 (the airline's website did not offer flights on the 23rd to Paphos and on the 30th back). Price: $390 without suitcase and $470 with suitcase.
In other words, in a chance examination we discovered that Israir's prices from Ben Gurion Airport (and it could certainly be otherwise) were significantly cheaper than the price Issta/Israir offers from Haifa. What's more. From Ben Gurion Airport there are a variety of flights to Cyprus. Israir, Arkia, Ryanair (with very cheap prices), Elal and the Cypriot airline and you can be more flexible and choose between many flights that will be every day to the neighboring island.
So I can wish Haifa Airport a fruitful summer on flights to Cyprus, wish the passengers who arrive safely on vacation and especially home and the companies that will operate this project much successfully. But the bottom line is that I would think a few times and check all the prices before I would 'iron' my credit card. Because in the apparent price gap, for a family arriving from the north at Ben Gurion Airport with a car or even taking a special taxi, the flight from Ben Gurion Airport is significantly cheaper.
- tourism
- All articles
Tags
- Cyprus
- Israir
- Issta
- Flights
