Despite the low levels of tourism, El Al has not cancelled flights, said spokeswoman Sheryl Stein. Instead, the airline often substitutes 400-passenger capacity 747s for 767 jets, which hold 200 passengers.
Marketing strategies to bring more tourists to Israel have been put into effect. The airline has invested $3 million to support marketing efforts by corporate wholesalers and is currently publishing “tourist testimonial” ads in U.S. publications. “Because of the length of this crisis, we decided to say, yes, there is a problem in the region, but Israel proper is safe,” said Sommer. “It’s like visiting New York.”