Air Madrid to file request for designated carrier status to Israel

Under the present bilateral aviation agreement between the two countries Iberia Lineas Aereas and El Al Israel Airlines Ltd are the two scheduled carriers
 
Rene Weinberg, Air Madrid director of alliances and expansion said last week that Air Madrid is about to ask for designated carrier status during next month bilateral Spanish-Israeli civil aviation talks.
 
Under the present bilateral aviation agreement between the two countries Iberia Lineas Aereas and El Al Israel Airlines Ltd are the two scheduled carriers.
 
Weinberg who visited Israel last week said that the airline's request was based on a promise given by the present Minister of Finance Avraham Hirchson who was minister of tourism, to add several designated carriers on routes to Israel, in order to increase tourism. Air Madrid currently flies two weekly charter flights between Tel Aviv and Madrid.
 
Last month a complaint was filed with the Israel Civil Aviation Authority by El Al and by Aerolineas Argentinas, which operates charter flights on the Israel-Spain route, claiming that Air Madrid, a designated charter airline, was offering aviation services as if it were a designated scheduled carrier.
 
The complaint alleged that Air Madrid violated regulations applying to charter airlines by including its tickets to Israel in the company's international distribution channels, and selling tickets directly to passengers rather than through tour organizers.