Veteran airline returns to Israel after 70 years: "It's time to come back"
German airline Condor has resumed regular flights to Tel Aviv, 70 years after its first arrival in the country. The company's VP of Marketing and Communications discusses the strong demand for the Frankfurt route and the benefits for connecting passengers.
Last week, the inaugural flight of the German airline Condor landed at Ben Gurion Airport, marking the resumption of regular service between Frankfurt and Tel Aviv. This return is a milestone, as the company's first flights arrived in Israel as early as 1956.
In an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth, Daniel de Carvalho, Condor's VP of Marketing and Communications, highlighted the significant demand for the new route. "Condor's connection with Israel goes back to the company's early days," he said. He noted that while one of the company's first flights brought guests to Israel on March 29, 1956, the route network had focused on other markets in the decades that followed.
"Today is the right time to return. There is special significance in the fact that in the year of Condor's 70th anniversary, we are returning to fly to Tel Aviv," said de Carvalho.
The company is seeing strong demand from passengers flying directly between Israel and Germany, as well as those transiting through Frankfurt to destinations across Europe and North America.
The route is operated daily, with an estimated annual capacity of over 131,000 seats. Condor expects a mix of leisure travelers, those visiting family and friends, and business passengers. From Frankfurt, the airline serves a network of over 70 destinations, including the Americas, the Caribbean, and Africa. Its fleet includes about 60 aircraft, featuring the Airbus A330neo for long-haul routes.
Economy and business classes are available on the Frankfurt–Tel Aviv route. Prices are dynamic, with August starting rates at 281 euros for economy and 411 euros for business class one-way. While Condor does not have its own loyalty program, passengers can earn and redeem miles through partners such as Qatar Airways, Emirates, and JetBlue.
Represented in Israel by the Tal Aviation group, Condor recently completed a major rebranding, introducing a signature striped livery in yellow, blue, red, green, and beige. Flights depart Frankfurt in the afternoon, with return flights from Tel Aviv scheduled for the following morning.
Condor CEO Peter Gerber stated that the expansion into Israel is a strategic move, providing passengers with seamless connections to the airline's global network.
