Sources inform “Globes” that El Al Israel Airlines (TASE:ELAL) will not renew its flights to Nairobi, capital of Kenya, at this time, due to opposition from the Israel General Security Services. Flights were canceled earlier this year, after warnings were received of plans by terrorist organizations, including Al Qaida, to attack El Al airliners, either in the air, or on the ground. In late 2002, two shoulder-held missiles were fired against an Arkia Airlines plane in Mombassa, Kenya, but missed.
El Al CEO Amos Shapiro said today that Nairobi was a commercially valuable destination, but the security authorities had forbidden El Al to operate on the route, after deciding that adequate security could not be guaranteed for the planes and passengers.
Shapiro added that while El Al was paying for all of its own security around the world, the government of one target country was sharing the cost of security.
Last Thursday, an El Al airliner with 193 passengers was diverted from its scheduled landing in Toronto to an alternate destination, after a warning of a plan to shoot down the plane with missiles was received. Helicopters were spotted at Pearson Airport in Toronto, trying unsuccessfully to locate the terrorist squad. A similar warning was received regarding another flight.
Following this event, Canadian Minister of Transport David Collenette announced last week that a shutdown of El Al flights to Canada was being considered. “That is something we'll have to deliberate, given the intelligence we receive,” he commented. “I can't answer what is going to happen with other El Al flights. This was a specific threat against El Al at Pearson Airport. I want to assure travelers that there is not a problem with traveling to Pearson, to Toronto.” In response, El Al asserted that it had received no information from the Canadian authorities of any intention to change its flight routes in the country.
Published by Globes [online] -l www.globes.co.il - on October 26, 2003