Air India has contradicted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who told journalists in Washington D.C. that the Indian carrier had received permission to fly over Saudi airspace. “We have not received any confirmation. We have only submitted our request for a flight. We have yet to receive anything from authorities,” Air India spokesman Praveen Bhatnagar told The Times of Israel. "We are hopeful to get approval soon," he added. RELATED ARTICLES El Al looking to fly over Saudi airspace - report Questions remain about Air India's Israel flights Yesterday during a briefing at Blair House in Washington D.C., Netanyahu told journalists, “Air India signed an agreement today to fly to Israel over Saudi Arabia." Air India is due to launch its new Tel Aviv - Delhi route later this month. However, it remains unclear whether the Indian carrier will need to fly round Saudi Arabia as El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. (TASE: ELAL) does on its Tel Aviv - Mumbai route, thus adding two hours to the flight, making it seven hours instead of five. Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 6, 2018 © Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2018
