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Last update - 07:26 02/11/2009
Netanyahu to fly Arkia to U.S. instead of pricey El Al
By Barak Ravid
Tags: Israel News, El Al, Netanyahu

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will leave next Sunday for a working visit to the United States, during the course of which he is expected to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama. What sets this trip apart, however, is the six extra hours Netanyahu agreed to spend en route by opting for a cheaper and smaller airplane, which necessitates a refueling stop.

The prime minister's visit to the tripartite summit at the UN General Assembly in New York in September cost $1.3 million. For this price, the prime minister flew on an El Al Boeing 767, directly to the United States. The prime minister's office rejected cheaper proposals from other companies that had offered smaller planes.

At the time, the prime minister's office explained El Al's exorbitant fee by saying that the company had insisted on raising the price because it had to take a large passenger jet out of commuter use for several days during the holiday season, in addition to a short-notice surcharge. However, El Al's offer for the current trip was even higher, standing at $1.4 million.
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Having drawn criticism after his last trip, Netanyahu decided to issue a tender for other companies operating smaller airliners. After receiving offers of $800,000 from Israir and $450,000 from Arkia, Netanyahu chose the cheapest option, prolonging his journey by some six hours.

Netanyahu and his entourage will leave Israel early next Sunday morning, stop to refuel in Ireland, and go on to Washington. On Monday, Netanyahu is expected to meet with Obama. Netanyahu will leave for New York that night, and will spend Tuesday giving interviews and meeting with Jewish leaders. Netanyahu will then make his way home on Tuesday, stopping to refuel in Paris.
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  1.   Why giving data of Ireland and Paris as refueling stops? 03:56  |  Fortuna Benmayor 02/11/09
  2.   What`s next? 05:57  |  Mordecai 02/11/09
  3.   Uh, is this the PM or a backpacker? 06:10  |  Nathan 02/11/09
  4.   Arkia 06:35  |  A groysser macher 02/11/09
  5.   next netanayhu will twitter his moves 07:54  |  vik 02/11/09
  6.   @#3 08:08  |  JW 02/11/09
  7.   EL-AL EXORBITANT FEES. 08:55  |  HAL. 02/11/09
  8.   At last now EL AL can understand that they are 09:46  |  lily 02/11/09
  9.   Bravo, Netanyahu! 09:50  |  Randy Newman 02/11/09
  10.   Time for the far Left, like Livni and Barak ... 10:04  |  Binyamin Dissen 02/11/09
  11.   Sheer Stupidity 10:23  |  SW 02/11/09
  12.   Why not a standard ticket at less than $1 000? 11:57  |  Nathan 02/11/09
  13.   What happened to the IAF Boeing.? 12:20  |  Stephen. 02/11/09
  14.   bibi-arkia-ly 12:28  |  Silvia 02/11/09
  15.   Misunderstood democracy 13:39  |  Menny 02/11/09
  16.   Fortuna # 1 14:06  |  Robert 02/11/09
  17.   to Silvia 14:37  |  rafiq 02/11/09
  18.   Netanyu hitchhikes rather than use expensive state car! 16:13  |  Mark 02/11/09
  19.   Why can`t he fly on a regularly scheduled flight? What gives? 16:15  |  common sense 02/11/09
  20.   Bibi shows that money can be saved even 16:46  |  Ben 02/11/09
  21.   Is El Al expensive? 18:05  |  jw 02/11/09
  22.   Palestinian Airways was Denied Right to Bid! 18:10  |  Monitor 02/11/09
  23.   CHow UnAmerican! American Jews Debrief/onsult Foreign Hd of State 18:13  |  Advisor 02/11/09
  24.   # 20 ben 18:49  |  Axel 02/11/09
  25.   Savings?! not when Mrs. Netanyahu goes shopping! 19:34  |  Sally Forth 02/11/09
  26.   Netanyahy travelling 20:11  |  Rigoletto 02/11/09
  27.   Netanyahu to fly Arkia to U.S. instead of pricey El Al 20:24  |  Brad 02/11/09
  28.   Netanyahu to fly Arkia to U.S. instead of pricey El Al 20:26  |  brad 02/11/09
  29.   Can`t please them all 22:19  |  Eric WIlson 02/11/09
  30.   What more matters is who is cheapest for our tickets 14:34  |  Rafiq 03/11/09
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