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Last update - 21:15 29/06/2008 Israel, Italy sign air traffic deal paving way for lower fares By Zohar Blumenkrantz Tags: El Al, Israel flights  Israel and Italy over the weekend signed an "open skies" deal, an air traffic agreement that allows airlines to compete for routes connecting the two countries. The deal is also expected to lower flight fares and improve travel scheduling. The agreement allows for a third airline, in addition to El Al and Alitalia, to operate regular flights between Israel and Rome and Milan. The Israeli delegation to the Rome talks was headed by Civil Aviation Authority head Udi Zohar. Representatives of Alitalia, El Al, Israir, and Sun D'Or airlines were also present at the talks. Advertisement The deal will also increase the number of weekly flights from 21 to 26 on each flight route. Alitalia, however, will reduce the number of flights it runs between Israel and Italy each week from 21 to 17, despite the increase in the permitted number of flights under the agreement. El Al intends to operate 11 weekly flights to Milan in the summer to make up for the drastic reduction in the number of flights Alitalia will run on the same route. Since the beginning of April, El Al has already been running 11 flights a week to Rome. According to statistics from the Israel Airports Authority (IAA), Alitalia transported 20,700 passengers on the routes to and from Israel in May this year - a decrease of 19.22% compared to the same month last year. Alitalia flew 92,000 passengers between Italy and Israel from January to May 2008 - a decrease of 15.23% in comparison to the same period last year. The Italian airline has so far this year captured just 2.29% of the market in the number of international passengers at Ben Gurion International Airport from January to May this year - down from 3.06% in the same period last year. Related articles: Israel, EU sign understandings on way to global aviation deal Israel and EU launch talks in Brussels on 'open skies' deal Bookmark to del.icio.us   'Colombian Entebbe' Israelis contributed to the dramatic Colombia rescue of 15 hostages. Handshake controversy Iraqi MPs voice their rage at President Talabani for shaking the hand of Ehud Barak.   1.   Viva Italia 08:28  |  Jerry Gravitz 05/07/08

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