Israir CEO Says Arkia Acquisition Review Is Preliminary

Israir CEO Uri Sirkis told employees on Friday, November 6, that an approach concerning a possible acquisition of Arkia was undergoing only a preliminary examination. He said there was no certainty that the process would lead to a transaction, following reports about a possible combination of the two Israeli airlines. Sirkis described Arkia as “a worthy competitor” and outlined a possible group combining the two brands, their expertise and ambitions with Israir’s public-company and technological infrastructure. He presented a fleet of 20 aircraft under the Israeli flag as a potential outcome, alongside operating savings and competition with foreign airlines on price and service. These were aims for a possible combination, rather than terms of an agreed deal. The CEO also cited technology investment, including Amadeus and AI-assisted dynamic pricing, and expansion of a maintenance center in Cyprus. He set out a strategic target of 3.5 million passengers by 2030. Neither the passenger figure nor the proposed combined fleet was presented as a current operating result. In its November 4 official disclosure, Israir Group said it had received an approach to examine an Arkia acquisition but had not yet examined it at that point. The company said it would report any subsequent examination and decision as required by law. In Friday’s letter, Sirkis asked employees to maintain routine operations and promised transparency if developments occurred.