Current Affairs - Miscellaneous - Discussion

Air India flight (AI 139) became the first flight to land at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport (Israel) after passing through Saudi Arabia air space. This is the first time, Saudi Arabia has allowed a commercial flight to Israel to use its airspace. In a bid to further people-to-people contact and diplomatic ties between India and Israel, Air India introduced the direct thrice-a-week flight from New Delhi to Israel's Capital Tel Aviv. Saudi Arabia's decision to permit Air India to use its airspace enabled it to take a shorter route, saving 2.10 hours of travel time. Israel's national carrier El Al, which operates flights to India, does not fly through Saudi Air space. Rather, it takes a longer route over the Red Sea.