EL AL Israel Airlines Announces Codesharing Cooperation with American Airlines

To Be Launched February 1, 2008

NEW YORK, Dec. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- EL AL, the national airline of Israel,
today announced that it has applied to the Israeli Ministry of Transportation
for authorization to begin a codesharing agreement with American Airlines, the
largest airline in the U.S.A. and in the world. American Airlines has
simultaneously applied to the United States Department of Transportation
(DOT). Upon approval of the codesharing agreement between the two airlines, EL
AL and American Airlines passengers in North America will have many more
options to fly to/from Israel, with added convenience and flexibility.
"The codesharing agreement between EL AL and American Airlines is the
broadest, most comprehensive agreement between EL AL and any airline," stated
EL AL Chairman, Professor Israel (Izzy) Borovich. "The agreement reflects EL
AL's strategy and ambition to significantly increase passenger traffic from
North America to Israel and to become more global by expanding flight
operations worldwide. All of this is to be achieved while accommodating the
needs of our business passengers and enhancing tourism to Israel."
"We are proud to join forces with American Airlines, a company whose
history, size and range of services speak for themselves," said EL AL Israel
Airlines President, Haim Romano. "The authorization of this EL AL codesharing
agreement with American Airlines will open up new horizons, create a wide
range of possibilities, and enable EL AL passengers to fly with convenience
and maximum flexibility between Israel and North America."
Henry Joyner, American Airlines' Senior Vice President, Planning stated,
"EL AL is a high quality, world-class airline that will provide our passengers
and shippers with additional choices and convenient service to Tel Aviv. We
also look forward to serving EL AL passengers on our American flights in many
of our North American markets. We're especially pleased to be codesharing with
EL AL into and out of our new $1.3 billion state-of-the-art JFK terminal."
From North America, EL AL passengers can fly nonstop to Israel from five
airports which are New York (JFK/Newark), Los Angeles, Miami and Toronto. With
the new codesharing agreement, EL AL and American Airlines passengers will
have the option to depart from 23 additional destinations throughout North
America, making it much easier to connect to their nonstop EL AL flight
to/from Israel. These additional codesharing cities include Atlanta, Boston,
Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas/Ft Worth, Denver, Honolulu, Las Vegas,
Memphis, Montreal, Orlando, Pittsburg, Portland (Oregon), Raleigh/Durham, San
Diego, San Francisco, San Jose (Ca), Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa, Vancouver and
Washington, DC.
The impending codesharing partnership between the two airlines will also
enable EL AL passengers to fly to or from Israel nonstop, one way, and choose
a stopover in one of the many EL AL European gateway cities in the other
direction. As such, the transatlantic flight between North America and Europe
will take place on American Airlines and the nonstop flight to/from Israel on
EL AL, thereby providing more travel options. Additionally, frequent flyers
and premium class passengers will enjoy more benefits, such as use of the
first and business class lounges of both airlines.
"We look forward to this codesharing partnership which will provide our
North American travelers with unprecedented access to Israel from a
significant number of additional cities," said Offer Gat, CEO, North & Central
America, EL AL Israel Airlines. This association will further enhance the many
new service improvements EL AL recently implemented in North America, such as
the recent opening of the modern, hi-tech King David Lounges at JFK that are
equipped with a state-of-the art Business Center and a shower, the two new
Boeing 777 aircraft that are utilized on the North American/Israel route that
were accepted by EL AL this summer, the new seats that are currently being
installed in all 777 and 747-400 aircraft, a 20 percent increase in 2008 in
the number of EL AL nonstop flights between North America and Israel, and
more.
About EL AL
EL AL, Israel's national airline, offers the most nonstop flights between
New York (JFK/Newark) and Israel and the only nonstop service from Miami and
Los Angeles. EL AL is the only airline with First Class service on nonstop
flights between the U.S.A and Israel. EL AL flies to more than 40 destinations
worldwide from Israel and to many additional destinations via partnership
agreements with other airlines. EL AL has annual revenues of about $1.8
billion and carries approximately 1.8 million passengers annually. Your Israel
experience begins the moment you board EL AL.
EL AL embodies Israel's values of innovation and caring and the promise of
a genuine Israeli welcome. For updated daily departure and arrival flight
information, travelers can call (800) EL AL-747, 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week. For reservations, call EL AL at (800) 223-6700 or any travel agent or
visit www.elal.com, where travelers now also have the option of convenient,
time saving online check-in for flights departing EL AL gateway cities in
North America.
EL AL. It's not just an airline. It's Israel.
About American Airlines (AA)
American Airlines (AA) is the world's largest airline in terms of the
number of passengers and the airplane fleet. The carrier is wholly owned by
AMR Corporation and it owns American Eagle. American Airlines was founded in
1930. In 2006, the company, which is based in Dallas, Texas, presented income
of $22.6 billion, and a profit of $231 million.
The American Airlines combined network fleet numbers more than 1,000
aircraft, and it boasts the widest flight network in North America, with a
market share of 17.8% in 2006. It has nearly 82,000 employees, including some
10,000 pilots. American Airlines flies to approximately 250 cities in over 40
countries, with more than 4,000 daily flights. American Airlines is a founding
member of, and partner in, the Oneworld(R) Alliance.
Contact: Sheryl Stein, EL AL Israel Airlines, 212.852.0628,
sstein@elalusa.com

Sedona Fitzgerald, Ruder Finn, 212.715.1548,
fitzgeralds@ruderfinn.com

SOURCE EL AL Israel Airlines

Sheryl Stein of EL AL Israel Airlines, +1-212-852-0628, sstein@elalusa.com;
Sedona Fitzgerald of Ruder Finn, +1-212-715-1548, fitzgeralds@ruderfinn.com,
for EL AL Israel Airlines