Arkia's majority shareholder has secured options for the purchase of two Boeing 787s, writes Arie Egozi.
Arkia, Israel's second largest airline, plans to launch long haul services to North America, South America and Asia. The Nakash brothers, who own a majority of the carrier, have secured the 787 options. According to an airline source, Arkia will confirm the options for delivery around 2011, once it has successfully leased out the two Boeing 757-300s that it operates on European charter flights and removed 100 employees from its payroll. In the interim, the airline will lease an Airbus A340 or Boeing 777.
Meanwhile, Arkia plans to lease two Boeing 737-400s for its short and medium routes.
Source: Flight International
