Despite repeated pledges not to desecrate Shabbos, El Al
operated a flight from Tel Aviv to Bangkok last Shabbos
night, parshas Mishpotim. Following pressure by
rabbonim and public figures, El Al advanced the flight from
5:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. to prevent Shabbos desecration at Ben-
Gurion Airport, but the majority of the flight and the
landing took place on Shabbos Kodesh.
The flight was originally scheduled to depart Thursday night
at 11:30 p.m. but was delayed due to a technical problem in
one of the engines, El Al reported.
This was not the first time El Al has operated flights on
Shabbos. In a previous incident of this kind, a flight
departed from the Far East to Israel after El Al officials
claimed that it was a case of pikuach nefesh since the
plane was "extricating" Israeli passengers stranded due to
floods who wanted to return to Israel as soon as possible
rather than waiting in hotels. Following the flight, El Al
CEO Chaim Romano promised not to operate flights on Shabbos
in the future.
Just weeks ago Romano, speaking at a chareidi press
conference, promised that the company would continue to keep
Shabbos, reiterating pledges to rabbonim as well as in
advertisements and letters to public figures. Chareidi travel
agents called the recent incident a breach of a promise made
to the public.
The flight could have been moved to the beginning of the
week, but the company preferred not to inconvenience
passengers booked on the flight to Thailand as well as
passengers waiting to return from Thailand.
One day earlier, the High Court rejected a petition El Al
filed to deny competitor Israir authorization to operate
direct flights between New York and Tel Aviv. Meanwhile
Israir is conducting negotiations to obtain a hechsher
for Shabbos.
Rabbonim and public figures said that when El Al violates its
promises and desecrates Shabbos it loses its preferred status
over other companies, and certainly over a company that may
keep Shabbos.
Vaadas HaRabbonim Lemaan Kedushas HaShabbos condemned El Al's
plans to operate the flight on Shabbos and warned against a
reaction by Jewish passengers in Israel and abroad. After
consulting with gedolei Yisroel Vaadas HaRabbonim was
scheduled to meet to discuss the disturbing incident.
"No solution was found to transport 450 passengers from
Israel to Thailand as well as those scheduled to return to
Israel on the same plane on Motzei Shabbos," said Romano. "El
Al has declared that despite the privatization it will keep
Shabbos, and barring exceptional glitches, it is keeping this
promise."
