The COVID-19 pandemic took its toll on Israel's flag carrier El Al, a crisis that almost brought about its downfall; But now the sun seems to be shining on it again, marked by the return of coveted benefits for employees, such as up to six free flight tickets for members of their families annually. This is quite the renaissance, considering they were forced to accept a $250 million guaranteed loan from the state to stay afloat.
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The El Al workers union, representing 5,000 employees, signed a new contract with management over the weekend, which reinstates all previous benefits. This new contract was made possible following a 370% spike in profits during the war, since many foreign airlines refused to land in Israel for fear of their safety, giving El Al a monopoly on all flights and allowing it to significantly raise ticket prices.
On top of free tickets, the new budget also brought back perks such as recreational days, company-sponsored events, summer camps and even academic study reimbursements for employees' children. All told, these perks run about $11 million annually. Additionally, a bi-annual bonus will given to employees from 2023 forward, an achievement since the state's original provision stipulated no handouts until 2026.
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An Emirati official stands near an El Al airplane, which carried a US-Israeli delegation to the UAE following a normalization accord, upon its arrival at the Abu Dhabi airport
(Photo: AFP)
Pilots also received reinstated benefits, though management also gained approval from the pilots union to hire new pilots to man their Boeing 787 commercial jets, a right previously reserved only for veteran captains.