El Al Cargo

El Al Cargo
Name	El Al Cargo
IATA	LY
ICAO	ELY
Callsign	EL AL
Parent	El Al Israel Airlines Ltd.
Founded	1948 (cargo operations later)
Headquarters	Ben Gurion Airport, Israel
Key people	David Maimon, Gonen Usishkin
Hubs	Ben Gurion Airport
Fleet size	see Fleet
Destinations	see Destinations

El Al Cargo is the dedicated freight division historically operated by El Al Israel Airlines, the national flag carrier associated with Israel. It handles air freight logistics linking Tel Aviv with markets across Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and occasional charters to South America. The division has supported military logistics, humanitarian aid, and commercial supply chains involving partners such as UPS, DHL, and global freight forwarders.

History

El Al Cargo traces roots to early Israeli aviation after 1948 Arab–Israeli War when civil aviation infrastructure expanded around Lydda Airport and later Ben Gurion Airport. During the Suez Crisis period and the era of rapid industrialization, El Al began ad hoc cargo by converting passenger aircraft, paralleling freight developments at London Heathrow, JFK Airport, and Frankfurt Airport. In the 1970s and 1980s El Al Cargo formalized operations, acquiring freighter conversions similar to fleets at Lufthansa Cargo, Cathay Pacific Cargo, and Air France Cargo. Throughout the First Intifada and Second Intifada the unit adapted to security-driven routing changes, coordinating with Israel Defense Forces logistics and international relief organizations such as Red Cross and United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. During the 2000s the division worked with freight alliances including IATA members and interline partners such as British Airways, Aeroflot, and Qantas to expand transcontinental services. Corporate restructuring and the global air cargo downturn after the 2008 financial crisis led to fleet rationalizations mirrored by competitors KLM Cargo and Emirates SkyCargo. Recent history includes responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and support missions following regional crises.

Operations

El Al Cargo operates scheduled and chartered cargo services from its hub at Ben Gurion Airport using a mix of dedicated freighters and combi configurations similar to Ilyushin Il-76 conversions historically used by some carriers. Operations are coordinated with ground handling partners at major gateways including Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Charles de Gaulle Airport, Frankfurt Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Dubai International Airport, and Beijing Capital International Airport. The division maintains customs and security procedures aligned with standards from International Civil Aviation Organization and European Union aviation regulators, and cooperates with agencies such as Israel Airports Authority and Ministry of Transport and Road Safety (Israel). Logistics services involve cold-chain shipments for pharmaceutical clients like Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, high-value cargo for technology firms such as Intel and IBM, and time-critical deliveries for aerospace suppliers including Boeing and Airbus.

Fleet

El Al Cargo has employed a mixture of converted widebody aircraft and palletized combi types, paralleling equipment choices by UPS Airlines, FedEx Express, and Atlas Air. Over the years types associated with operations include Boeing 747-400F freighters, combi-configured Boeing 767-300ER and Boeing 777-200ER variants, and leased freighters from operators like Kalitta Air and Southern Air. Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul activities link to facilities at Ben Gurion Airport MRO and external shops such as British Airways Engineering and Lufthansa Technik. Crewing and training standards follow protocols from Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom) and Federal Aviation Administration where applicable for overflight and wet-lease arrangements.

Destinations

El Al Cargo serves a network including major economic centers: New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Frankfurt am Main, Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid, Rome, Milan, Zurich, Geneva, Istanbul, Dubai, Doha, Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangkok, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Sao Paulo, Toronto, Montreal, Mexico City, Sydney, and seasonal or ad hoc charters to ports such as Jeddah, Cairo, Athens, and Manila. Gateway coordination often involves major freight terminals like Air Cargo Netherlands and Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited.

Cargo Services and Specializations

Services include general cargo, perishables, live animals, dangerous goods handling per International Air Transport Association Dangerous Goods Regulations, and oversized/heavy cargo for clients in defense and aerospace industries. Specializations have included refrigerated pharma lanes for World Health Organization campaigns, secure shipment corridors coordinated with Mossad-adjacent security protocols for sensitive government cargoes, and rapid-response humanitarian lifts with Médecins Sans Frontières and UNICEF. E-commerce logistics tie-ins connect with platforms and forwarders like Alibaba Group, Amazon.com, eBay, and freight integrators such as Kuehne + Nagel and DB Schenker.

Safety and Incidents

Safety oversight incorporates audits by Israel Civil Aviation Authority and international safety programs including IATA Operational Safety Audit. Notable incidents in the broader El Al operations include hijacking attempts during the 1960s Skyjackings era and security events leading to reinforced cockpit procedures similar to responses by British Airways and American Airlines. Cargo-specific incidents have prompted collaborations with investigative bodies such as National Transportation Safety Board when U.S. jurisdictions applied. The division emphasizes reinforced cargo screening in line with Transportation Security Administration air cargo requirements and European Union regulations.

Corporate Structure and Ownership

El Al Cargo functions as a division within El Al Israel Airlines Ltd., which is a publicly traded company listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Ownership has involved strategic investors, government-linked shareholders, and private equity interests similar to airline ownership patterns seen at Ryanair, IAG, and Air France–KLM. Corporate governance adheres to reporting standards comparable to Israel Securities Authority filings, and labor relations intersect with unions such as Histadrut and professional associations representing flight crews and ground staff.

Category:Airlines of Israel Category:Air cargo carriers