British Airways has resumed flights between London Heathrow and Tel Aviv Ben Gurion after an eight-month suspension, with the service restarting on the first day of the winter flight season. The return is a reduced operation, with a single daily rotation flown on an Airbus A321neo.
British Airways Returns to Tel Aviv
According to Head for Points, the outbound service departs Heathrow at 8.30pm and arrives at Ben Gurion at 3.25am. The return flight leaves Tel Aviv at 6.10am, landing back in London at 9.55am. Neither timing is particularly sociable, reflecting the realities of resuming a route that has been on hold for the better part of a year.
Sister airline Iberia has also returned to the route, reinstating its own daily service between Madrid and Tel Aviv on the same date, Head for Points reports.
Readers wanting to explore British Airways' wider network can use the Airline Search tool to find routes and airline information.
The SAS Status Match Now Includes easyJet Plus
There is an interesting development for travellers who want alliance status without a long history of flying. Head for Points reports that holders of the easyJet Plus card are eligible to take part in the relaunched SAS EuroBonus status match.
A successful match from easyJet Plus delivers EuroBonus Gold, which is equivalent to SkyTeam Elite Plus, the top tier of the SkyTeam frequent flyer alliance. That level carries lounge access at SkyTeam carriers worldwide.
Because easyJet Plus is a paid subscription rather than earned status, the combination effectively allows someone with no existing airline status to purchase entry to top-tier SkyTeam benefits. The cost, as set out by Head for Points, would be €199 for the SAS match fee on top of £249 for easyJet Plus membership.
There is a further option for easyJet Flight Club members, who can match to EuroBonus Platinum. The match fee for that route is higher at €349, though Head for Points notes it still delivers the equivalent of EuroBonus Gold status across the wider SkyTeam alliance.
Marriott Marble Arch Completes Its Refurbishment
The London Marriott Hotel Marble Arch has finished a full renovation programme. Head for Points reports that all 247 guest rooms have been updated, along with the lobby, public spaces and gym.
The Executive Lounge has also been upgraded as part of the project, and a new room category called Executive City View has been introduced. The hotel sits a couple of minutes north of Marble Arch itself, on a street set back from Edgware Road just off George Street.
The Bottom Line
British Airways' return to Tel Aviv, even at a reduced frequency of one flight per day, marks a meaningful step in the recovery of a route that had been dormant for eight months. The overnight scheduling is unlikely to appeal to leisure travellers, but it restores a direct link for those who need it.
The easyJet Plus route into SkyTeam Elite Plus status is a notable quirk of the SAS status match programme and one that travellers who have always wanted alliance benefits but lacked the flying history to earn them may find worth examining.
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