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del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 07:18 15/12/2006 El Al losing NIS 1 million daily to unofficial ultra-Orthodox boycott By Zohar Blumenkrantz, Haaretz Correspondent The crisis that broke out between the ultra-Orthodox and El Al two weeks ago is beginning to affect the company. An El Al source said Thursday that the company estimates it is losing NIS 1 million per day, which may worsen if the ultra-Orthodox community declares an official boycott of the carrier. Meanwhile, the company is trying to minimize its losses with a more energetic marketing campaign among the secular public, with emphasis on weekend packages for couples. Haaretz has learned that the airline allotted 3,500 tickets for the special offers aimed at secular couples interested in a weekend vacation abroad. A Wednesday meeting between El Al CEO Haim Romano and the rabbinic committee on safeguarding Shabbat did not bring a solution any closer. Advertisement The crisis erupted two weeks ago, following an El Al decision to allow a number of its flights to take off after the beginning of Shabbat. The flight schedule had been disrupted when airport workers participated in a nationwide strike two days earlier. The rabbinic committee on Shabbat represents all ultra-Orthodox groups, and would like El Al to appoint a rabbi to decide whether the carrier may schedule flights in exceptional circumstances on Shabbat. Both sides reported that the meeting Wednesday was held in a "very positive atmosphere" following instructions by leading rabbinic leaders to "do everything possible" to reach an agreement. At the meeting, Romano said El Al considers its Haredi customers important clients, and vowed to "do everything so that they would continue to fly" with the carrier. The ultra-Orthodox community has imposed a de facto boycott on El Al, even though one has not been officially declared by community leaders. Nonetheless, when the Haredi public seeks the advice of rabbis on the matter, their view is unequivocal: stay off El Al. The Haredi press is also stating that leading rabbis, both in Israel and abroad, have chosen to use other airlines. Other carriers appear to have taken advantage of the opportunity to tap into the Haredi market. Air Canada advertised Wednesday in a Haredi newspaper, promising benefits to passengers and Glatt Kosher meals. In its efforts to counter its losses, El Al is offering packages of $399 per couple for flights to Athens and Istanbul, while similar packages to Western Europe are on offer for $599. According to company sources, the package is tailored to suit the Israeli public, which likes taking short winter vacations. Bookmark to del.icio.us Mystery fall Avraham and Carmela Cohen are suspected of being involved in a soldier's murder. Lonely no more Many people hold Lonely Planet responsible for the entire globe becoming a tourist site.   1.   Sorry for both sides... 03:16  |  Dan 15/12/06   2.   THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINING-ISRAEL WILL BE A JEWISH STATE 04:10  |  MEIR WEINSTEIN 15/12/06   3.   El Al losing NIS 1 million daily to unofficial ultra-Orthodox boy 04:25  |  Walter Plywaski 15/12/06   4.   Boycott non-shomer shabbat vendors 05:27  |  Chaim 15/12/06   5.   Market Forces in Action 05:34  |  DT 15/12/06   6.   El Al Losing money 05:51  |  robin 15/12/06   7.   I`ll go with El Al 05:58  |  Simon 15/12/06   8.   Dumb! 06:00  |  PETER SM 15/12/06   9.   "RAbbis" in Iran 06:01  |  Ron 15/12/06   10.   good job El Al 06:04  |  mk 15/12/06   11.   It Isn`t Just Ultra-Orthodox 06:12  |  Yishai Kohen 15/12/06   12.   Loosing or not earning ? 06:29  |  Jonathan 15/12/06   13.   "Goyishe" airlines 06:50  |  Peretz Itzhaki 15/12/06   14.   To Simon 07:10  |  DZ 15/12/06   15.   good job El Al 07:13  |  Louna 15/12/06   16.   HOPE they stop taking money from non Shomer Shabbos donors. 07:14  |  PETER SM 15/12/06   17.   El Al 07:51  |  Avi 15/12/06   18.   El Al 08:43  |  David 15/12/06   19.   Seven Days Make a Week 08:52  |  Michael 15/12/06   20.   Who actually cares about this nonsense anyway ? 09:12  |  Philip Angell 15/12/06   21.   How much daily do these ultra-Orthodox cost ? 09:25  |  Paul Henzen 15/12/06   22.   ain`t capitalism grand? this is our perogative! 09:35  |  we haredim.... 15/12/06   23.   Let them walk to Amerika 09:40  |  FOX 15/12/06   24.   Make it official or dont tell me about it 09:50  |  anom 15/12/06   25.   DT, Chaim 09:51  |  sh 15/12/06   26.   To karkur: Chareidim also fly FROM America 10:24  |  Charieidi 15/12/06   27.   Secular fly by nights cannot make up for Orthodox customer base. 10:30  |  Sim 15/12/06   28.   To Ron (#9) 10:37  |  SJCA 15/12/06   29.   Not unlike the idiotic Chabadnik in Seattle!! 11:00  |  Ari ben Yisrael 15/12/06   30.   #3 Walter Plywaski 11:03  |  Jo Jo 15/12/06   31.   Chariedi Baby #26 11:11  |  FOX 15/12/06   32.   # 7 Simon 11:11  |  Jo Jo 15/12/06   33.   #18 David 11:20  |  Jo Jo 15/12/06   34.   If El Al wasn`t a state airline 11:27  |  Axel 15/12/06   35.   ill go with el-al too 11:29  |  mikey 15/12/06   36.   We need a legitimate compromise 11:31  |  Joseph 15/12/06   37.   freedom to choose 11:40  |  edward 15/12/06   38.   Shabbat services 11:42  |  Maerton 15/12/06   39.   An Economic/Demographic Reality-Check For Ari ben Yisrael 11:45  |  Yishai Kohen 15/12/06   40.   Charedi p.r. disasters mount up! 11:45  |  Ben Azai 15/12/06   41.   to joseph 11:47  |  jimbo 15/12/06   42.   GOOD! Let them know there is a G-d in Israel!!! 11:55  |  Yaakov K. 15/12/06   43.   Ron rabbi`s [?] in Iran 11:58  |  charles 15/12/06   44.   Jonathan 12:08  |  charles 15/12/06   45.   From somewhere over the mediterranean 12:15  |  Lev Mallinger 15/12/06   46.   Yaakov K 12:16  |  FOX 15/12/06   47.   Seculars of the world, unite !! 12:49  |  PJ 15/12/06   48.   Reason why Rabbi`s say not to travel Elal... 12:55  |  Martin H 15/12/06   49.   #14 DZ & #32 Jo Jo 13:09  |  Simon 15/12/06   50.   to 2 13:18  |  Michele 15/12/06   51.   Martin H 13:39  |  charles 15/12/06   52.   Ultra-Orthodox rabbis/ideas keep Israel in the Middle Ages 14:01  |  Sara 15/12/06   53.   LY is the ONLY airline... 14:17  |  Fred 15/12/06   54.   Reply to Jimbo 14:25  |  Joseph 15/12/06   55.   Haredi stupidity. No, El Al; Yes,Foreign airlines 14:26  |  Toronto`s Finest 15/12/06   56.   22, "we charedim". And you`re talking about capitalism???? 14:43  |  zmogus 15/12/06   57.   EL AL vs. Orthodox 14:44  |  MrJersee 15/12/06   58.   Charieidi comment # 26 14:53  |  Honest Observation 15/12/06   59.   Fly ELAL 15:06  |  Fred 15/12/06   60.   What Airline Does Neturei Karta Use? 15:11  |  Yaakov Sullivan 15/12/06   61.   I hope the government subsidises El Al 15:23  |  Stephen Murray 15/12/06   62.   An appropriate Israeli response to this blackmail 15:29  |  Stephen Murray 15/12/06   63.   saturday flights- boycott 15:40  |  harold 15/12/06   64.   I`ll fly ElAL 16:11  |  Nathaniel 15/12/06   65.   About time 16:22  |  Asher 15/12/06   66.   No # 63........SHAME on YOU 16:32  |  Joe Moer 15/12/06   67.   Nobody is obliged to fly in Shabbat if he doesnt want 16:49  |  GF 15/12/06   68.   Tora Keepers- paid to screw 17:44  |  Danny 15/12/06   69.   Haredim 17:50  |  danny 15/12/06   70.   El-Al should use rabbinic logic 18:00  |  Tosefta 15/12/06   71.   #60, Air Iran 18:12  |  Momo 15/12/06   72.   Good luck, Haredim, to find Glatt Kosher food on Lufthansa, etc. 18:33  |  Jake 15/12/06   73.   To "we haredim" #22 18:36  |  Jake 15/12/06   74.   EL-AL USED TO HAVE THE WORST 18:43  |  Robert 15/12/06   75.   zmogus 18:51  |  Jake 15/12/06   76.   zmogus, are you part of the "secular Israeli public"? 18:53  |  Jake 15/12/06   77.   to #50 Michele 18:58  |  Klew 15/12/06   78.   El-Al should use rabbinic logic 19:06  |  Tosefta 15/12/06   79.   El-Al losses due Orthodox so-called boycott 19:20  |  Paul 15/12/06   80.   orthodox 19:23  |  rafiq 15/12/06   81.   Simon is Right-No Votes for Arabs 19:37  |  Harold 15/12/06   82.   Rude People On El Al? 19:41  |  Scott 15/12/06   83.   TIME DIFFERENCE 19:52  |  TOBIA 15/12/06   84.   WILL THEY FIGHT 20:00  |  TOBIA 15/12/06   85.   Michelle, 50: reply 20:47  |  CRT 15/12/06   86.   #60, Yaakov Sullivan, we wouldn`t know 21:31  |  Jake 15/12/06   87.   You dont like El Al? simply do not fly on it! 22:09  |  GF 15/12/06   88.   to # 61 and 68 22:16  |  charles 15/12/06   89.   I will continue to fly when is good for me,including in Saterdays 22:16  |  GF 15/12/06   90.   To # 36 22:28  |  charles 15/12/06   91.   Paul # 21 22:41  |  charles 15/12/06   92.   ELAL 23:59  |  V 15/12/06   93.   ELAL 23:59  |  Vera 15/12/06   94.   The Emirates 00:04  |  Arab 16/12/06   95.   The Emirates 00:04  |  Arab 16/12/06   96.   @ 47 Have mercy with those imprisoned! 00:10  |  Karl 16/12/06   97.   ELAL 00:11  |  Vera 16/12/06   98.   ELAL 01:12  |  DEV 16/12/06   99.   SIM 01:16  |  Dev 16/12/06   100.   security # 92 01:25  |  charles 16/12/06   101.   orthodox 04:48  |  rafiq 16/12/06   102.   It`s about Time ! 05:54  |  mike 16/12/06   103.   It`s About Time ! 05:56  |  mike 16/12/06   104.   Historical opportunity for El Al 08:29  |  A. Goldberg 16/12/06   105.   It`s a free country - fly if you want to 09:52  |  Yochi 16/12/06   106.   #72 Lufthansa 10:21  |  Leon 16/12/06   107.   el al 13:21  |  charles 16/12/06   108.   EL AL and security 19:00  |  eva 16/12/06   109.   What other airline will they fly with..! 20:09  |  David 16/12/06   110.   Declare El Al a halkit airline 20:09  |  david 16/12/06   111.   David 21:45  |  charles 16/12/06   112.   GLAD 22:01  |  Dov 16/12/06   113.   # 112 Glad 22:30  |  charles 16/12/06   114.   #72 Jake 23:20  |  Jo Jo 16/12/06   115.   46: Hanukkah? Know what it`s REALLY celebrating? 00:08  |  Yaakov K. 17/12/06   116.   Must Serve Customers 00:58  |  B. T. A. 17/12/06   117.   #107 Charles 01:07  |  B.T.A. 17/12/06   118.   #109 DAVID 01:12  |  B.T.A. 17/12/06   119.   Yaakov Sullivan 02:14  |  wibism 17/12/06   120.   Good- Inosolvency- ElAL`s Security Men are Arrogant Bully Boys 02:36  |  The End Is Nigh 17/12/06   121.   Boycot of the ultra-orthodox 03:17  |  G. Ron 17/12/06   122.   The End is Nigh 03:35  |  B.T.A. 17/12/06   123.   Charles the idiot 06:08  |  David 17/12/06   124.   reply to # 120 07:24  |  SJ 17/12/06   125.   david the .. 21:56  |  charles 17/12/06   126.   behaviour 22:10  |  charles 17/12/06   127.   elal boycott 22:18  |  bbg 17/12/06   128.   to Walter 00:04  |  Charedi 18/12/06   129.   To Walter 21:48  |  Nathan 18/12/06   130.   Reply to Simon from Rishon Lezion 17:56  |  Chaim Avrohom Kaye 19/12/06   131.   reply to 130 18:54  |  Danny 19/12/06   132.   to"Charles" from Petach Tikvah 00:18  |  Yonatan 27/12/06   133.   REbuttal to Michel from Italy 00:27  |  Yonatan 27/12/06   134.   No #68 SHAME on YOU! 00:39  |  Yonatan 27/12/06   135.   reply to #39 04:06  |  Motek 24/02/07   136.   What`s the big deal? 23:15  |  Yechiel 23/10/07

Today Online Reuven Pedatzur: In a war, Syria can strike anywhere in Israel Responses: 175 Israel worried Egypt will let terrorists enter the Gaza Strip Responses: 100 Sarkozy tells PM: Palestinian refugees will not return to Israel Responses: 350 Haaretz.com TV: Top officials slam push to free Rabin assassin Responses: 20 Rosner's Domain * WTR: Relax, America will survive Bush * New poll: Were you convinced that the surge in Iraq is working? * Israel's fear: Will Rice put a bridging proposal on the table? * Jumblatt to Bush: Send car bombs to Damascus More Headlines 03:20 Defense chiefs: Impose more sanctions on Gaza 02:48 Ramon seeks funding to extend West Bank separation barrier 02:02 Iran to buy from China 24 fighter jets based on Israeli technology 01:35 Assad orders Syrian ID cards be issued for Druze of the Golan 04:03 U.S. House panel endorses Holocaust insurance info bill 21:46 UNESCO announces plan to battle Holocaust denial, raise awareness 22:00 British PM Brown to Olmert: We're for tougher Iran sanctions 02:04 Peres: History could never forgive Rabin's assassination 00:05 Poll: Iran, U.S. are countries most want to see having less power Previous Editions Select Day 23 oct 22 oct 21 oct 19 oct 18 oct 17 oct 16 oct 15 oct 14 oct 12 oct 11 oct 10 oct

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