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Shahid

Singapore Airlines direct flights to Tel Aviv?

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I dont think there are any restrictions of commercial aircraft overflying Msia to go to Israel if the operator is non-Israeli.

 

I recall the delivery flight of an ex-MH 772 flying to TLV from SZB.

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Yeah big picture. I have seen enough Israeli business in the international trade sector in recent years to know that in Malaysia, money talks. We know that the govt. like to hide things from (mislead) the public...

 

 

One thing for sure though is that if SQ intend to attract more Israeli passengers to Singapore and especially through traffic, they have to stop serving pork in everything... (this is why Swiss hardly serves pork..., and usually have chicken or vegetarian as the main course options...).

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SQ may be launching direct flights to TLV in 2017.

 

https://www.touristisrael.com/singapore-airlines-launch-singapore-tel-aviv/19522/

 

Would SQ need to circumvent Malaysian and/or Indonesian airspace for this flight?

 

no, I don't believe SQ would need to circumvent Malaysian/Indonesian airspace for the flight, things just don't work that way

 

 

Yeah big picture. I have seen enough Israeli business in the international trade sector in recent years to know that in Malaysia, money talks. We know that the govt. like to hide things from (mislead) the public...

 

 

One thing for sure though is that if SQ intend to attract more Israeli passengers to Singapore and especially through traffic, they have to stop serving pork in everything... (this is why Swiss hardly serves pork..., and usually have chicken or vegetarian as the main course options...).

 

indeed, really there's a lot of Israelis visiting Malaysia..it's just that they usually use another passport since Israel allows multiple citizenship...

 

the reverse is also true, Malaysians can and do actually visit Israel, via the pilgrimage route that is...

 

officially Malaysia has no diplomatic relations with Israel, but that doesn't mean that business (or even official government matters) doesn't happen in some way or another

 

but yes to fully attract Israeli tourists (key point here is tourists, not business people), it's probably more important about the food selection and other religious observations

 

(I see this no differently than KLM flights for the AMS - KUL - CGK sector which serve halal food as the standard option)

Edited by Najib Ramli

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but yes to fully attract Israeli tourists (key point here is tourists, not business people), it's probably more important about the food selection and other religious observations

 

(I see this no differently than KLM flights for the AMS - KUL - CGK sector which serve halal food as the standard option)

 

But I often thought that Kosher meals are more for the Orthodox Jews and that the more secular ones do not have the same dietary care, no?

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But I often thought that Kosher meals are more for the Orthodox Jews and that the more secular ones do not have the same dietary care, no?

 

well considering that the flight is to TLV, you can safely assume that kosher would be the choice for most originating from there...

 

and regarding orthodox/secular, many in the US (and thus quite secular) while not strictly adhering to kosher, do abstain from pork....not to mention you'll find the U/D/K (kosher certified) labeling on most packed/processed food coming from the US so you can be sure that they do somewhat adhere to it....(just for fun, google Planters peanuts, you'll probably see the U/D/K label on the bottle)

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This may not be the official procedure but I was told by someone in Swiss that they don't have so much through traffic from the middle east and besides, apparently most middle easterns don't mind so much (there is always the other option or they can request a muslim meal). But the Israelis do, and the orthodox guys do mind if the person next to them eats pork, and there is a lot of through traffic from TLV to the US, for example, and so Swiss find it easier to just not serve pork as a main course on all its routes. So it is not just about not serving pork on the TLV sector alone.

Edited by Azman MN

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Just like you dont find pork on SQ routes to/from DXB and BWN and previously to KWI, JED, AUH..

 

And that includes BA/CX/TG/LH etc. flights to Malaysia/Indonesia/Middle East where you won't find pork on the menu (I don't know if it's halal, but definitely no pork and most probably no dressing/sauce that includes alcohol like balsamic vinegar or wine reduction etc.).

 

However, if the carrier (e.g. TG/SQ/MH) has pre-order meals available, passengers have the option of choosing pork (not on MH for obvious reasons) on their flight to those countries (having the option to do so and actually ordering it on flights to those destinations are very different IMO).

 

The same can be said for flights to India where beef is usually not on the menu and I find MH's lamb satay way better than the beef satay.

 

 

indeed, really there's a lot of Israelis visiting Malaysia..it's just that they usually use another passport since Israel allows multiple citizenship...

 

the reverse is also true, Malaysians can and do actually visit Israel, via the pilgrimage route that is...

 

officially Malaysia has no diplomatic relations with Israel, but that doesn't mean that business (or even official government matters) doesn't happen in some way or another

 

Malaysians can visit Israel as a tourist (unofficially). You can always apply for an Israeli visa at their embassy and the visa is on a piece of paper (not stamped on your passport) and Israel doesn't usually stamp passports anymore (or at least you can can request not to stamp your passport - much like how HK entry/exit works now).

 

And that is true - Malaysia doesn't have diplomatic relationship with Israel in name only. Trade still goes on.

Edited by Craig

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Well, Malaysian tour groups have been allowed access to Jerusalem to visit Christian sites as well as the Al-Aqsa/dome of the rock compound when they cross over from the Jordanian border. This has been going on for a long time now. I think a special permit has to be applied for.. maybe someone here knows a bit more about this issue..

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Well, Malaysian tour groups have been allowed access to Jerusalem to visit Christian sites as well as the Al-Aqsa/dome of the rock compound when they cross over from the Jordanian border. This has been going on for a long time now. I think a special permit has to be applied for.. maybe someone here knows a bit more about this issue..

 

Yes it's true....Malaysians can go there unofficially....for the religious thingy...and it needs to be arranged thru certain travel agencies which have the experience and contacts to organize them

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One thing for sure though is that if SQ intend to attract more Israeli passengers to Singapore and especially through traffic, they have to stop serving pork in everything... (this is why Swiss hardly serves pork..., and usually have chicken or vegetarian as the main course options...).

 

If SQ were concerned about this, they would have done so a long time ago considering that Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world, is their biggest customer base.

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If SQ were concerned about this, they would have done so a long time ago considering that Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world, is their biggest customer base.

I agree - this is a non-issue on a full service carrier like SQ. Most pax would be able to find an inflight meal to suit their requirements.

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As I mentioned above, the orthodox guys do mind if the person next to them eats pork.

 

If SQ wants to compete against the middle east carriers for TLV traffic to Australia for example, this is food for thought...

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As far as I know, Mideast Big 3 do not offer direct services to TLV, though EK purportedly advertised via Amman. Perhaps TK will be affected?

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I guess theoretically there is no use to stamp your passport, since it isn't valid for Israel travel.

 

I would very much like to visit that region one day.

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As long as it is a religious pilgrimage, there is no problem visiting Israel legally. But there are some conditions to be fulfilled (it must be organised by a religious group with a travel agent - eg if it is a Christian group, it is led by a priest/pastor of a church, it is for a short duration not more than a fixed number of days, all parties are to travel together, etc). Application is to be made to Kementerian Dalam Negeri and upon approval, KDN will issue a letter stating the approval to travel to Israel. There are a few travel agents organising such trips.

Israel does not stamp on our passports, something like Hong Kong. They will issue you with a slip containing your passport details and photo when you enter and you can now keep the slip as you leave.

 

Currently, most Malaysians travel via Amman and enter Israel through King Hussein bridge. Just that the security in Israel is rather tight compared to other entry check points and may take some time to go through immigration (depending on group size, it could take an hour, and at times up to 4-5 hours depending on the crowd).

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Israel does not stamp on our passports, something like Hong Kong.....

I wonder if that would be 'courteous diplomacy' at work :)

Nice to see the bereaucrats can be somewhat flexible when circumstances permit

My parents are going this November...via Amman on Royal Jordanian...

Any chance to convince your parents to do a TR here ? :)

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I wonder if that would be 'courteous diplomacy' at work :)

Nice to see the bereaucrats can be somewhat flexible when circumstances permit

 

 

The Israeli immigration does the same for many nationalities. I have seen Australians, Americans, and other passport holders requesting not to stamp in their passports.

 

I am not sure how true this is - I heard from tour groups that they have folks who had Israeli stamps in their passports being denied entry into other countries that do not have diplomatic relations. I wonder if anyone can verify this.

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Until some years ago, my Swiss colleagues who travel to Israel have 2 passports. One to use for Israel only, and one for everywhere else. The company pays for the 2nd passport. Now they simply ask the immigration not to stamp it.

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Well, Malaysian tour groups have been allowed access to Jerusalem to visit Christian sites as well as the Al-Aqsa/dome of the rock compound when they cross over from the Jordanian border. This has been going on for a long time now. I think a special permit has to be applied for.. maybe someone here knows a bit more about this issue..

 

My dad went last year on a pilgrimage. Wasn't terribly hard to apply for, according to him.

 

I've seen Israel from across the Dead Sea. My Jordanian tour guide asked if i wanted to make an impromptu visit into Jerusalem - without a visa. I explained about being Malaysian and all. His deadpan response - "so? you wouldn't be the first" Being a bit chicken i said no. In hindsight, I should have. (Didn't ask how he planned to achieve it though)

 

I did enter Paraguay once with a visa fee of 12 empanadas (call it a samosa or curry puff). Maybe that was the modus operandi for my Jordanian guide. :)

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