LY777

No, guys, I don't only criticize their "old planes".

I am aware that their premium product is subpar and that their FF needs a major revamp.
Also, I point out several times that their IFE is antiquated.

But you need to realize that my home base is Paris, and so, LY is the best option for me. AF is a real joke on that route (crappy A320s with European-style C Class, cold meals, no real IFE...). On LY, I can choose brand new 739s or 772s which have an excellent product for a 4-hour flight...

economyman

If indeed your other option is AF, I can see why you would prefer LY.

sabbasolo

For the record, I am also an ex LY flyer, Gold from the inception of the program for many years.

It is just not an option for me these days, since I pay/upgrade for business on long haul when at all possible, and the LY product is so inferior that I actively avoid it.

The second point mentioned by others, I also agree with. Poor treatment of FF passengers with status.

That is why this has become a forum for discussing Israeli based FF issues, and LY bashing.

For FF, UP is obviously not going to be popular.

mkilmo

For all that complain about my complaint -

1. Arabic is an official language. You can have discussions in court in Arabic when all involved speak Arabic. You can find in general elections ballots in Hebrew and Arabic, but not in English. (and yes, democracy is not only elections, but it tells you something). For more info - http://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9E%...A8%D7%90%D7%9C (careful - hebrew!).

2. All airlines in countries with 20% of population speaking some language, try to make sure that someone on the plane speaks the language (and/or that there are some safety regulations in the that language). Just fly AC once. or twice. You can also try LX.

3. An Israeli arab does not need to care about the airline ex-TLV (same security to all), but only on the flight in the way back. One day (hopefully, before peace breaks out), the security abroad will get their grips together about the security threat Israeli arabs pose to the aviation industry.

Hence, if LY were looking for a way to actually increase its costumer base, going arab-friendly is the way. To do this, they just need to make sure there is an arabic speaking FA in flights (usually not), that the safety videos are with arabic subtitles (LY's ones seem to be, if I recall correctly, while my point about UP is that it doesn't), and they have to fix some incoming security issues.

And this is not bashing LY. This is merely mentioning that their video does not inspire the same "cool" effect as they were after. Shown this to misskilmo who thought it was horrible, after which I've shown her the VX one and the NZ ones, which she enjoyed very much. So - a complete waste of money.

LY777

Mklimo, remember that LY safety video exists in 2 versions: one in Hebrew with English subtitle, and one in English with Arabic subtitle.
Maybe UP will do the same and that there is another version.

ELY001

Why should they? Most Israeli Arabs speak Hebrew anyway.

I don't believe that there is much EL AL can do in order to make their product more "arab-friendly" given certain nationalistic realities that exist within that sector and which are beyond the scope of this forum for discussion.

Braniff

I remember all road signs being in Hebrew, English and Arabic. So there must be some sort of official recognition of the three languages. But that was awhile ago and they may have axed English and Arabic with the current politics.

economyman

Some road signs have Arabic on them, usually those nearer Arabic speaking communities but certainly it has never been that all of them do.

As to your political comment, whist I have no idea what you mean, I believe that it belongs in OMNI in any case.

joshwex90

Arabic is an official language in name only. There is no legal reasoning behind it as the Knesset never voted to make it so. EVEN so, that has no bearing.

As to your court comment:

1. If both parties agree, not only can proceedings be done in English in some courts, but contracts in English are legally acceptable.
2. The courts are a part of the government. That has no bearing on what private companies do!

Using that logic, I would expect UA to have their safety videos in English and Spanish. Yet they don't do that on many of their international flights. Or LY add Russian. But again, they don't. You use LX as an example, but in Switzerland, there are people who really only speak German or French (or Italian, though most Italian-speakers do understand German). Arab Israelis understand Hebrew.

I disagree with this. I don't think that by adding Arabic subtitles they are becoming "Arab-friendly" enough to get more Arab customers. Arabs who won't fly LY don't not fly because of the lack of subtitles. They don't fly LY for much larger reasons, which no amounts of overtures will correct.

Not all road signs are. For example, just traveled on Highway 6 and 1. A lot of the signs by 431 and 443 are only in Hebrew and English. Even by Jerusalem, not all road signs have Arabic, and certainly not in the Merkaz (near Tel Aviv and the like). On 4, 471, 40, etc. it's just Hebrew and English. So if even the government isn't required to post everything in Arabic, I don't see why a private company needs to.

As for current politics, no clue what you mean. But regardless, the government hasn't been axing any signs for any reasons other than natural wear and tear.

Braniff

I didnt mean to cause any offense on this forum. I called my driver in Israel who told me that

new

multi-lingual signs were now increasingly rare. In the same way that Gaellic signs vs. English signs in Ireland. No need to be over-sensitive.

My visits to the Holy Land are very moving and I treasure them.

joshwex90

No worries - no one was getting offended.

However, bi-lingual signs aren't rare at all. In fact, virtually all signs in Israel are bi-lingual. (Even with the crappy English and all.)

turbjuo

hehe dunno why but this made me laugh.

gordo6

It even sounds worse in english:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V6qx1uQ29g

thesmiler

Am I the only one who got reminded of Daddy Cool by Boney M from the always recurring chord being nearly identical?

Also having to see this in two languages on the plane with non-controllable volume quickly gets old.

FF

Loved it.... the first time. After that I think that most people will be turned off - so pretty much an epic fail bordering on negligent