Ultra-Orthodox Jews Threaten To Start Their Own Airline

**NIKV69** · 2006-12-13, 12:46 AM

Do you remember the song, "Gefilte Fish Blues," originally made popular by Larry David and the Hipsters? LOL....

That episode is an all time classic, I love when he is trying to talk in Hebrew and basically is talking gibberish. Or when he is pretending to be married to Suzy Greene and she tells them the story of how they met.

**T-Bird76** · 2006-12-13, 09:56 AM

Remember its only a threat to start an airline, whether they do it or not is to be seen. I don't see the point though.

**i_mizrahi** · 2006-12-13, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by mirrodie

Furthermore, is this airline going to fly on all days BUT Shabbat? If it did, then it would not make it any different from El Al. SO I just don't get the business strategy.

Hebrew Haulers

Hi

I'm from israel, and I can tell you that trying to understand the ultra-orthodox from one newspaper article is no use. You may just as well live in Israel for 30 years and still not understand this.

But what I do understand is taht the current management of EL AL is made up of not too bright people, and that is not just because of this shabbat thing.

If you want to learn a little more on EL AL you can read my blog at:
http://aviationblog.wordpress.com/

Izhar

**mirrodie** · 2006-12-13, 12:46 PM

I just glanced at your link.

WHile it does show issues with El Al, I don't think they justify the Orthodox response to starting a new airline.

SO I guess we are left with just scratching our heads and acknowledging that, hey, we might have another airline to spot soon :)

There is one thing though.... I think if Mel and Phil had a baby plane, it might look like....http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=22949 Wow, I have never seen that before!

**nwafan20** · 2006-12-13, 03:29 PM

One thing that "irks" me about El Al is the whole armed gunmen following the plane to takeoff thing. Plus, the gunmen aren't nice people, and they hate spotters!

**hiss srq** · 2006-12-13, 03:44 PM

I would love to have a run in with one of them while spotting..... Seriously what the heck are they going to do on public property or otherwise.....

**nwafan20** · 2006-12-13, 03:58 PM

I see we have a suicidal spotter on the boards! LOL!

Just kidding, but I'll tell ya, every year there is a tradition in Michigan where people walk the Mackinac (pronounced Mackinaw) bridge on labor day, I did in 2002, the year after 9/11 and every 10 feet there was an armed National guardsmen, a no-fly zone over the bridge, armored vehicles, marine boats, and every other military asset available, when you see one of those automatic weapons in real life, 3 feet away from you, it's pretty scary.

**hiss srq** · 2006-12-13, 04:06 PM

I get to see them every day lol..... LGA is well protected..... lol

**mirrodie** · 2006-12-13, 06:27 PM

One thing that "irks" me about El Al is the whole armed gunmen following the plane to takeoff thing. Plus, the gunmen aren't nice people, and they hate spotters!

So the fact that El AL is doing what it can to protect its assets "irks" you?

The gunman are there to protect, not to be your friend. They are good people, have families and really could care less that you are a spotter or not. They in fact might be a spotter themselves. But there are there to execute a job, not to be nice. It's a good thing.

**hiss srq** · 2006-12-13, 06:31 PM

what happend to the nicknames

**Mateo** · 2006-12-13, 09:23 PM

Tower catered to the ultra-Orthodox market. Remind me again how that one turned out. Yes, there are a lot of haredim on the NYC-TLV flights, but I don't know if it could sustain a year-round, profitable operation, especially while El Al already makes lots of concessions to the Orthodox (Glatt Kosher meals, mezuzot on the doors, accomodating prayer services). El Al actually owns the catering house that supplies the meals ex-NYC. You're also hard-pressed to make it work with 1 plane - it's about 10h there, 11:30 coming back, so you've really got to mach schnell with the turns to keep it in a 24-hour cycle. It's actually a 138-hour week once Shabbat is factored in, which gives you 5.5 25 hour roundtrips, but the plane keeps leaving an hour later each day!