BD serve TLV for a short period of a year and 4 months.

Before that period there were 26 weekly LON-TLV flights:
LY - 11 TLV-LHR-TLV (operated by B767, B777 and in fridays B747) and 1 TLV-STN-TLV (operated by B757)
BA - 14 LHR-TLV-LHR (operated by B767 and B777)

Now there are 45 weekly flights:
LY - 11 TLV-LHR-TLV (operated by B777, B747) and 6 TLV-LTN-TLV (operated by B767)
BA - 14 LHR-TLV-LHR (operated by B767 and B777)
BD - 14 LHR-TLV-LHR (operated by A332)

Today EasyJet announced that from 2 November 2009, they will operate 6 weekly flights LTN-TLV-LTN operated by A319/A320. The costs will start from 103 pounds per round trip (for UK residents) and from 133 pounds per round trip (for Israel residents).

And let us not forget Jet2.com MAN-TLV-MAN flight, which is also a service between TLV and a major BD destination.

How do you think that will affect BD operations in TLV?
Do you believe that they will:
A - cut frequencies.
B - downgrade aircrafts.
C - make the prices lower (e.g. instead of 869$ for premium economy [which is the lowest fare available] they will charge only 700$).

For your information - BA announced last week that they cancel the B777 service to Israel. Their flights to TLV will be operated only by a B767, affective from late Oct.

So I think that BD will:
B - downgrade the aircraft that operates the BD763/764 flights to A320 or to A321 (this is the less popular flight).
C - they will change the prices.

Well BD already have got some very cheap promo prices in economy for LHR - TLV.

I don't really think the question is whether BD will change their services any time soon, but what LH will decide for all of the mid-haul routes including TLV.

I think easyjet's entry into this particular destination is very cleverly targetted as they recognise they can take a huge slice of market share quickly based on price alone. BD/BA re-shape, then they inch the price back up.

I foresee the A330's going somewhere else shortly! TATL from MAN anyone?

I thought they announce �73 per sector?
If it is �103 - �133 (remember this is just the starting prices) then by the time you add on all the extras you are not far off (if at all) the others.

EasyJet may of had the advantage of the being the only airline travelling from LTN to TLV if LY wouldn�t have started the flights from there, but now they don't even have that.

I recon their prices are going to have to be extremely (with the emphasis on extremely) competitive in order to do well on the route.


Small player to be honest, flying just once a week.


This is a winter schedule change (for now anyway...) and the 777 appears back on schedule from March.

You got a Crystal ball that we can have a go on gordo6?

While they may well downgrade the aircraft, BD have spend a small fortune lately on advertising PE and 'The Business' on the TLV flights, both here in the UK and in Israel

They did the same for the Manchester flights too though!

What I would say though is that they very intentionally kept the Manchester TATL flights priced way above the market average for a number of months to help aid a fall off in bookings. They are at least pushing cheap fares for the A330 services at the moment, so I'd say they'd ideally like to keep these planes on these routes as I don't think they have anywhere else to put them anyway.

I believe that if they choose to downgrade aircraft they will do it on the BD763/4 flights.

For Your Information - here is EasyJet timetable in TLV:
LTN 1130 - TLV 1835 T3
TLV 1925 T1 - LTN 2305
The turnaround is really short

Quite long for easyJet

That is an aeon compared to BD's 75 mins to turn around the A330 on the 761/764 rotation at TLV and get it back to LHR for 22:50. One of BDs biggest challenges on this route is the poor timekeeping : I've seen the 764 arriving back at LHR after midnight several times recently.

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It's really interesting that EZY should fly such a long route. On that schedule, surely they'll have to overnight or dead head crews to TLV, something I thought that LOCO airlines would never do. Are they struggling to find suitable destinations, and having to bend their rules a bit.

Wonder how low cost fares will work with paying for hotel rooms and per diems...

mmm that figures, I'm sure saw a bmi flight come in around 00:25 as I drove home last night/this morning along the M4.

the reason these tlv flights arrive so late and bad time keeping is that the 2 330's that was based at man do the one cai and the 2 tlv rotations a day. the turnaround time is very short in between flights. the crew do it there and back in one day except the night tlv, so the hours for the crew are very tight to. bmi will also get into trouble with to many late arrivals after 11.30. get fined by baa, and you are only allowed so many.

btw heard from my friend that there is a rumour that Lh wants to take the 330's of the cai and tlv and put them on state side, cause of its onboard product. houston, nyc, south america. Lh has a few 310 park in the desert, so bmi might get them for the cai,tlv.

I've heard two versions of that rumour. First one was from LHR, second was recreation of MAN TATL! ANd I believe LH have some A340's parked up, never mind A310's!

However, probably just complete guesswork and cobblers as with most rumours.