German airline Condor launched daily service between Frankfurt and Tel Aviv over the weekend, marking its return to Israel seven decades after one of its aircraft first landed in the country.

The airline’s first scheduled flight landed at Ben Gurion Airport on Saturday evening as Israel works to restore regular international air travel following prolonged disruptions. The inaugural flight was fully booked, and Condor will now operate one flight daily in each direction.

About 80% of the passengers aboard the first flight were scheduled to continue from Frankfurt to destinations in North America and East Asia. The airline said the route will provide Israeli travelers with additional connections through Frankfurt as the number of nonstop flights from Israel remains limited.

Condor last operated in Israel 70 years ago, when it flew Christian pilgrims to Ben Gurion Airport, but it did not establish a permanent route at the time.

Meanwhile, Air Haifa announced a new twice-weekly route between Haifa and Thessaloniki beginning October 25, with one-way fares starting at 69 euros. The airline said it carried approximately 58,000 passengers in July, twice the number recorded during the same month last year and its highest monthly total since beginning operations.

Ethiopian Airlines also said it will add five weekly flights between Tel Aviv and Addis Ababa through the end of August, increasing the route from 21 to 26 flights per week. The expanded schedule strengthens Addis Ababa’s role as a connecting hub for Israeli passengers traveling to Africa, Asia and other destinations.

TAP Air Portugal, however, has again postponed its return to Israel. The airline had planned to restore its Tel Aviv-Lisbon route in August but has extended the suspension until September 15. Its reservation system now lists flights beginning in mid-September.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)