Netanyahu: Air India permitted by Saudi to use its airspace to travel to Israel

Washington, Mar 6 Air India has been permitted by Saudi Arabia to fly over its region on its new course from New Delhi to Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today, an extraordinary move which would decrease travel time between the two urban communities by more than two hours.

India's national bearer Air India is booked to start its non-stop flight between New Delhi and Tel Aviv in few weeks from now.

Collaborating with reporters after his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House, Netanyahu said that Air India has consented to an arrangement with Saudi Arabia over the issue.

"Air India signed an arrangement today to travel to Israel over Saudi Arabia," Netanyahu said.

So far Saudi Arabia has not allowed planes from any nation to fly over it and go to Israel.

Israel does not have diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia, but rather it was reported that the two countries have been working secretively on their shared security worries over Iran after the 2015 nuclear accord, which both governments strongly opposed.

Such a permission by Saudi Arabia would reduce the air travel time from New Delhi to Tel Aviv via Air India from around eight hours to five and a half hours, Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu said that as a result of the short travel of Air India, the Israeli national transporter El Al would be at hindrance both in terms of cost and travel time.

He said he is in chats with the national transporter so it isn't harmed monetarily.

Then in New Delhi, an Air India representative responding to Prime Minister Netanyahu's announcement stated, "We are yet to get any correspondence from the Indian controller."

Air India has looked for consent from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for thrice-a-week flight from Delhi to Tel Aviv.

Israel's Ministry of Tourism will approve a one-time allow of 750,000 euros to Air to launch the flight benefit, an authority said in Jerusalem a month ago.