In an effort to salvage their troubled relationship with the Ultra-Orthodox (who make up the bulk of their passengers), El Al stated that they will not be flying their carriers on the Sabbath. The back story: The company went private in 2004 and due to increase in competition, they decided to schedule Friday night flights to pick up the slack. Unfortunately, this didn't sit well with the Orthodox Jews. Many of whom, though there is no unionized public boycott, have said they will not fly the airline and are demanding certain guarantees.
Israeli media reported that ultra-Orthodox leaders had demanded a written commitment from El Al that it would never fly on the Sabbath again. Such a commitment would effectively make the airline beholden to Halacha, the strict body of Jewish law, but it remains unclear if the airline would be willing to sign a legally binding religious document.
Orthos might not be the only culprit in El Al's diminishing sales. Due to the recent war in Lebanon, tourism in Israel dropped by 31%.
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