German leisure carrier Condor has launched daily scheduled flights between Frankfurt and Tel Aviv, marking the airline's return to Israel after a 70-year absence. The inaugural flight arrived at Ben Gurion Airport at full capacity on the evening of Aug. 1. Condor's only previous service to Israel was a single demonstration flight approximately 70 years ago, which carried Christian pilgrims.
The new daily route primarily functions as a connecting service, with roughly 80% of passengers on the first departure continuing to destinations in North America and East Asia. Tickets are being sold through the end of August. Tal Aviation Group represents Condor in Israel.
Meanwhile, other carriers have announced service adjustments. Air Haifa has begun ticket sales for a new route to Thessaloniki, Greece, launching Oct. 25, with one-way fares starting at €89. Ethiopian Airlines has increased its Tel Aviv - Addis Ababa frequency from 21 to 26 weekly flights through September. TAP Air Portugal has postponed the restart of its Lisbon - Tel Aviv service from August to Sept. 15.