Arkia Israeli Airlines is expanding its services between Israel and the United States, offering more flights, increased aircraft capacity, and new connections to destinations across North America.
In an interview with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News, Gefen Ahituv, a senior executive at Arkia, discussed the airline's growing operations, its commitment to the Jewish and religious communities, and its efforts to provide passengers with a reliable and comfortable travel experience.
"Arkia is a consistent, reliable, and professional company," Ahituv said. "We are delighted to welcome everyone on board. You can count on us. We are flexible and attentive to our customers' needs."
Arkia currently operates flights between New York and Israel every day except Saturday, with two flights on Sundays, providing travelers with additional options when planning their journeys.
Ahituv emphasized that the airline is particularly attentive to the needs of religious passengers, including families traveling for Jewish holidays and yeshiva students moving between Israel and the United States.
"As a member of the religious community myself, I am very aware of the needs surrounding Jewish holidays," she explained, adding that Arkia provides kosher meals and takes passengers' religious requirements into consideration.
The airline is also introducing an upgraded culinary experience, with Israeli chef Shabtai joining its onboard food service.
"We are very happy to share that we have introduced a new chef on board. Chef Shabtai is one of Israel's greatest chefs, and we look forward to welcoming passengers to enjoy the experience," Ahituv said.
Addressing the uncertainty surrounding international aviation amid regional tensions, Ahituv highlighted Arkia's experience in adapting its operations to changing circumstances.
"Arkia has demonstrated its stability in Israel. One of our key strengths is our flexibility," she said. "We have shown Israeli and Jewish travelers that we make every effort to keep flying, adapting to different circumstances and finding solutions."
She stressed that the airline's commitment to passengers extends beyond its published flight schedules, particularly when additional demand arises.
"We want our customers to know that Arkia is here for them," she added.
That commitment has also been reflected in the airline's expanding fleet. According to Ahituv, Arkia is now operating four wide-body aircraft, including a recently added Airbus A330.
The new aircraft features 46 business class seats and 203 economy class seats, offering passengers additional travel options on long-haul flights.
Ahituv highlighted the aircraft's seating configuration and the training provided to cabin crew, emphasizing the airline's focus on passenger comfort throughout the journey.
With demand from families and yeshiva students, Arkia has also increased its flight capacity and remains prepared to add further services when necessary.
"We have added more flights, and we are always ready to accommodate additional demand," Ahituv explained. "Arkia has shown more than once that when a customer or a company needs us, we will be there for them."
Asked whether Arkia's expansion would also benefit passengers through increased competition and pricing, Ahituv emphasized that the airline considers the entire travel experience, rather than focusing exclusively on ticket prices.
"Competition is always good. It is valuable and positive for customers," she said. "We don't look only at the ticket price, baggage, or luggage. We look at the entire experience we provide, from the moment customers purchase their tickets until they return home."
One of the airline's most significant recent developments is a new agreement with JetBlue, intended to make travel between Israel and additional destinations across the United States more convenient.
The agreement allows passengers traveling on Arkia's Tel Aviv-New York route to connect to additional US destinations through JetBlue, with coordinated connecting flights and baggage arrangements.
"We signed a new agreement with JetBlue that gives our customers the opportunity to travel to additional destinations throughout the United States," Ahituv said. "It makes the journey much more convenient and efficient."
She explained that the arrangement also simplifies baggage handling for passengers continuing beyond New York.
"It's a connecting flight, and your luggage goes directly to your final destination in the United States," she said.
Looking ahead, Ahituv revealed that Arkia is preparing to announce additional destinations as part of its continuing expansion, although she declined to identify the new routes.
"Arkia is definitely growing right now," she said. "We are very happy that soon, with God's help, we will be able to share a new destination that we cannot announce just yet."
She added that the airline hopes to introduce more destinations for both Israeli travelers and American Jews.
"We are very happy to welcome everyone on board, especially families traveling for the holidays, Shabbat, and the upcoming yeshiva break," Ahituv concluded. "We are well prepared, and we welcome them with open hearts. We look forward to seeing you on board."