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Last update - 21:36 29/08/2007 For those sleeping at the airport By Haaretz Editorial Tags: a Some 750 million people worldwide fly at least once a year, but their power as consumers has not been felt. They suffer bitterly from the declining quality of airline service throughout the world. Exhausting security checks, services and infrastructure that have not kept pace with the rate of increase in airline passengers, lengthening lines, unpredictable takeoff and landing times, impatient ground crews and routine luggage losses are currently part of the flying experience. All this happens despite the fact that ticket purchases over the Internet have made the process easier. The worldwide distress of those who fly stems from the gap between the rate of growth in the number of passengers and the lag in infrastructure development. But in Israel, passengers also suffer from exorbitant fares. Advertisement Israelis who want to fly to Europe right now must pay $900 per ticket, and they have no option of choosing a lower-priced regular airline, because low-cost airlines are still not allowed to fly here. The only cheap options are charter flights, and this business is flooded with ad hoc, seasonal, third-rate companies whose only plus is that they do not constitute real competition for El Al, Arkia and Israir. The thousands of vacationers who have spent nights on the airport floor with their children in recent weeks are victims of Israel's closed-skies policy. While Europeans can take low-cost flights run by serious regular airlines, Israelis looking for a cheap vacation must generally settle for an "everything included" package with an airline whose name they have never heard before. For Israeli vacationers who want to fly to Turkey, the choice is between staying at home or making use of inferior tourist services. After El Al stopped flying to Turkey because of the security costs, the market for flights to this destination became even smaller. Open skies mean that low-cost regular airlines can fly passengers from anywhere to anywhere, and not just to and from their country of origin. This is currently the case in the United States and Europe. This year, the German company TUI entered the Israeli market, and its entry lowered fares to and from Germany and increased the number of tourists from that country. Wisdom would dictate letting a company like this fly to other destinations as well. The transportation minister admittedly set up a committee to examine the issue, and the committee did recommend opening the skies "gradually." However, it seems doubtful that this recommendation will survive the pressures from El Al, Arkia and Israir, as well as other airlines, which benefit from a protected market as no other industry does. There is no reason why Israelis should make do with less than what is available to American and European travelers, nor is there any reason to prevent regular airlines worldwide from bringing tourists here from anyplace. The consumer battle to improve airline services is global, but in Israel, it has an additional layer: the lack of competition, which causes service to be either lousy or expensive. Regular, low-cost flights are awaiting a decision by the transportation minister. The issue is not that complicated. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Convicts 4 kneidlach Demand for kosher cuisine swells ranks of Jewish prison chaplains in U.S. All the way to hell Rosner's blog: It's Obama's good intentions that pro-Israel activists fear.   1.   charter of ELAL: just terrible 00:44  |  Karen 30/08/07   2.   When I visited Israel,I flew with Arkia and it has better service 01:05  |  Absolute Sweden 30/08/07   3.   ...which causes service to be either lousy or expensive, BOTH 02:13  |  Jesus 30/08/07   4.   This is just one of the ways 08:03  |  International Travel 30/08/07   5.   #4 not correct on all points 13:21  |  Sara 30/08/07   6.   THE REMEDY DONT FLY FOR THE NEXT 2 MONTHS 14:00  |  PAUL HARRIS 30/08/07   7.   #6 - Paul, your suggestion is good but wont work. 14:40  |  Sara 30/08/07   8.   A hint to Israeli-travellers 21:56  |  Alice of Wonderland 30/08/07   9.   Try Al Qaeda Airlines 03:32  |  captain Bn Ldn 02/09/07   10.   #9 12:05  |  Aaron 04/09/07   11.   non-flying alternatives? 12:07  |  Aaron 04/09/07   12.   travel 23:22  |  dariyosh 08/06/08

Read & React Shmuel Rosner: Obama and Jerusalem - did you really believe him? Responses: 166 U.S. proposes trilateral talks with Israel and PA Responses: 75 Defense sources:Talk of major IDF operation in Gaza is premature Responses: 63 Palestinian shepherds: Masked settlers beat us with clubs Responses: 54 More Headlines 23:09 Palestinian shepherds: Masked settlers beat us with clubs 19:40 Migrant worker lightly hurt as Qassams pound Negev 23:53 Egypt says will review price of gas exported to Israel 02:49 Bereaved father to Barak: Leave West Bank roadblocks slated for removal intact 01:19 San Francisco Jewish museum stresses optimism, overlooks Holocaust 18:03 Defense official: Mofaz remark on Iran strike is not state policy 20:38 Amy Winehouse caught on video singing racist chant about 'gooks,' 'pakis' 00:04 Eight leftists hurt in clash with police at rally against separation fence 18:33 Demand for kosher cuisine swells ranks of Jewish prison chaplains in U.S. 19:51 Battered by rockets, Gaza-area kibbutz heads north for Shavuot 14:16 U.S. proposes trilateral talks with Israel, PA 17:04 Palestinian salaries delayed as Israel blocks payments 22:45 Fatah, Hamas: Senegal reconciliation talks reignite 'mutual respect' Previous Editions Select Day 08 jun 06 jun 05 jun 04 jun 03 jun 02 jun 01 jun 30 may 29 may 28 may 27 may 26 may

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