Air Transat has launched Canada’s first-ever non-stop service between Montréal–Trudeau International Airport and the David Ben-Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. The flights, which will also offer connecting service from Toronto, will commence June 18 and run twice weekly through late October.

"We are thrilled to feature our very first destination in the Middle East,” states Annick Guérard, President and General Manager of Transat Tours Canada. “The demand for a direct Montreal-Tel Aviv flight was high for travellers visiting friends and family in the two cities and those in search of new discoveries. Tel Aviv is a vibrant and modern metropolis with plenty to offer when it comes to culture, gastronomy and nightlife. It is also the ideal gateway for a vacation immersing travellers in ancient and religious history."

Transat, the tour operator arm for the company, will be creating packages and guided tours throughout Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in tandem with the new flight.

"I welcome the decision by Transat to expand its operations into Israel. The opening of an air route is further proof of the success of our marketing efforts and that airlines view Israel as a sought-after tourism destination with economic potential,” said Yariv Levin, the Israeli Minister of Tourism. “We view Transat as a partner that will help increase the numbers of tourists arriving in Israel and we hope to see additional routes opening soon,"

"This is great news for Quebecers who are eager for the re-establishment of a direct air link between Montreal and Israel, presenting travellers with a wonderful opportunity to discover the riches of the Holy Land, the beauty of its landscapes and the diversity of its peoples", says Ziv Nevo Kulman, the Consul General of Israel in Montreal and its Permanent Representative to ICAO. "Thanks to this direct flight, more Israelis will also be able to enjoy the 150th and 375th-anniversary festivities in Canada and Montreal."

The new flight will be operated on an Airbus A330-300 aircraft with 345 seats. Travellers passing through the Montréal–Trudeau airport can also feel the joy of vacations in the new Espace Air Transat section, with its multimedia experience designed by Moment Factory.

"We are delighted that Air Transat has decided to add Tel Aviv to its roster of over 40 summer destinations out of Montréal–Trudeau,” said Philippe Rainville, President and CEO of Aéroports de Montréal. “This year, Air Transat's weekly seat capacity will be increased by 20 per cent, compared to 2016. Travellers departing from the city now enjoy an unparalleled choice of flight options from Montréal–Trudeau, with nearly 140 direct-flight destinations,"

For 2017, Air Transat will fly to 28 transatlantic destinations, including added service to France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Croatia. It also serves the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and the Czech Republic.

For more information, visit www.airtransat.com.

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