A model of an Up 737-800 – Photo: El Al/Up Airlines
Israel is not a large country. Because of this, domestic flying has never been of much importance. There are flights out of both Tel Aviv airports (TLV and SDV) to the resort town of Eilat, but even that is within driving distance. This fact has left Israel’s air travel market as one that focuses on flying to international destinations. Competition is heating up and El Al is planning to go head-on with a lower-cost version called Up.
Israel, though an extremely high-tech and growing economy, also has some market features that make it unique compared to equivalent countries in different climates. There is a gigantic Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) market. There is also a lot of business traffic traveling from Continental Europe on restrictive travel budgets. Realistically, most of the high-yield traffic comes from destinations in Northern Europe, North America, and Asia. British low-cost carrier easyJet is expanding its services to Tel Aviv at a seemingly unending rate. There is even talk of Easyjet competitor RyanAir starting Tel Aviv service this year.
A better look at Up’s logo – Image: El Al/Up Airlines
Traditionally, Israeli flag carrier El Al has ceded the outbound Israeli tourist market to airlines like Sun D’or and Arkia. Those airlines, however, are not very well known to passengers outside of Israel.
El Al, therefore, has decided to turn the tables. They know that as a full-service carrier, they are at a cost disadvantage to the coming threat of RyanAir, so they have decided to head them off at the pass.
Starting on March 30th of this year, Up will offer up to 50 flights per week to five destinations in Southern and Eastern Europe.
Up, unlike its European competitors, will not offer a single low-cost product. They will offer a traditional low-fare/low-cost economy cabin, but will also offer an economy “plus” product (marketed as Economy Class Plus) befit with all the traditional economy plus benefits. On medium-haul flights such as Tel Aviv-Kiev, such a product will likely be extremely popular. Especially considering that passengers on “Up Smart” fares will be able to access the King David Lounge at Ben Gurion Airport (TLV).
A rendering of an Up Airlines 737-800. Image by El Al/Up Airlines
What differentiates Up, at least within Israel, is that passengers flying on Up-branded flights can still earn status miles on their El Al Matmid accounts. As such, when one has status with El Al, the status and benefits carry over to Up and all the benefit.
Unfortunately for us Seattle-area spotters, all of Up’s initial 737-800s (five in total) are being transferred from El Al. In fact, the first frame has already been painted in the Czech Republic. Maybe one day, however, the Up livery will appear on a brand new 737 out of Renton.
If you look at the model in the first photo carefully, you’ll realize it’s not really a 737 by complete measure.
The tail (including the cone and the leading edge of the vertical ruder) looks like a 777’s.
The nose and the engine also look more like a 777’s than 737’s.
The fuselage is a bit short, but one can say it’s a 777-200.
Except for the winglet. While 777 does not have winglets, the one (only one on the right being visible) on the model does not look like one on a 737, either.
All in all, it’s not a true 737-800 model, rather a hybrid out of the author’s imagination and workmanship.
The composite image later in the story seems similar as well.
And just want to point out that the images came from El Al, not AirlineReporter :).
David
There are images of a real Up 737 in the wild, and we can assure you that they do not look as distorted.
… and they have inserted the tailplanes upside down so they have an anhedral instead of a dihedral… FAIL!
Does Up! use any element of El Al’s in-flight experience as it’s own?