GM of El Al Canada Dina Kutner with Mike Miguel of WestJet
Happy tour operators Elic Abitbol and Martha Tavio of Gateways International pose with Ellen Melman of the Israel Government Tourist Office and
Ami Lohr of Amiron Travel
Sharon Cohen and Ran Yzhezkel of Israel's Economic Mission to Canada
It’s not too often you hear “WestJet” and “Tel Aviv” in the same sentence; not until last month, when on September 12th, a new interline arrangement was announced between El Al and WestJet.
The carrier once known as the feisty little western airline has now moved into the international league, in a big way. As well as other interline agreements with Qantas, British Airways and Delta (among others), WS has signed code share agreements with some of the world’s largest airlines including: American, Cathay Pacific and Air France/KLM.
Is there any other airline in the world that has the same emotional connection as El Al does? As Dinah Kutner, general manager for the carrier said during a recent breakfast presentation, “We’re not just an airline, we are Israel.”
El Al has been serving Canada for 40 years now, since initiating flights to Montreal in 1971 (although these days Toronto is its only destination in Canada). “This year is 5,772 in the Jewish calendar and it feels like we’ve been waiting that long for a partner here in Canada!” she explained to a group of journalists, tour operators and members of the Israel-Canada business community at a breakfast presentation at the Park Hyatt Hotel in downtown Toronto.
Not only is El Al looking forward to sending its YYZ bound passengers on their way to WestJet’s vast Canadian network, but to southern sunny destinations as well -- a logical connection as Israelis do not require a visa to pass through Canada which they do for the U.S. The fact that both carriers operate out of T3 at YYZ is an added bonus.
“It was quite a thrill to see Tel Aviv on our system,” said a beaming Mike Miguel, manager of strategic accounts at WestJet. “To think that our small airline – not so small any more – will have global reach. It is a huge source of pride for all of us.”
Congrats and mazel tov, WestJet: you’ve come (and will go) a long way!
