Arkia to Expand Vietnam Service

The move by Israel’s third-largest airline comes as Israeli flag carrier El Al is starting its own thrice-weekly service to Hanoi in October.

By Etgar Lefkovits, JNS

Israeli airline Arkia announced on Sunday that it is expanding its service from Tel Aviv to Vietnam this fall with new flights to Saigon.

The carrier said it will begin weekly non-stop service from Tel Aviv to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) starting in October, in addition to its weekly flights to the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, which it inaugurated in January.

“The new route to Saigon is another step in implementing Arkia’s strategic plan to expand long-haul flight operations and deepen our operations in the East,” said Arkia CEO Oz Berlowitz.

“After the success and high demand we saw in Hanoi, it was clear to us that it was right to continue expanding in Vietnam.”

The move by Israel’s third-largest airline comes as Israeli flag carrier El Al is starting its own thrice-weekly service to Hanoi in October, following Arkia’s inauguration of the first-ever flight from Tel Aviv to Vietnam earlier this year.

It also comes at a time when Israelis are increasingly flying to the Far East amid a burst of antisemitism in much of the West.

Israeli travel consultants said that Vietnam has fast emerged as a very desirable and safe destination.

“Vietnam is this year’s hot place, coveted by both the young independent traveler and Israeli families who want to explore new countries,” Mark Feldman, CEO of Jerusalem’s Ziontours, told JNS.

“Arkia’s timing is perfect and should prove to be a big success.”