EL Al Airlines Offers Free Trial of In-Flight Iridium Phone Service
This month, El Al Airlines is offering a special promotion to members of its frequent flyer program, Matmid Club. Members are receiving a free five-minute scratch card redeemable on El Al aircraft equipped with Iridium Satellite passenger phones.
The Sky Connect Executive Iridium satellite phone systems supplied by Gilat Satcom, Iridium’s authorized service provider in Israel, are currently installed on nine of the company’s long-haul jets. The airline plans to continue the roll out of Iridium service on an additional fleet.
The promotion, which commenced on December 1, will run through February 28, 2007. Prepaid El Al Iridium cards are available for purchase onboard and via Gilat Satcom.
In addition to passenger telephone communications, El Al also relies on Iridium systems to transmit flight data from the cockpit to its ground operations.
“Iridium’s unique global communications network and service are ideal for aeronautical satellite communications,” said Greg Ewert, executive vice president, Iridium Satellite. “Iridium offers low-drag, lightweight airborne equipment, seamless global connections, and high-quality voice communications for passengers and crew at a small fraction of the per-minute charges for other satellite and terrestrial-based in-flight phone services.”
“This promotion affords our passengers the opportunity to make a call on our Iridium satellite calling service for free,” said Haim Romano, CEO of El Al Airlines. “They can experience first-hand how simple and inexpensive it is to use.”
For further service details, please visit the El Al Website at:
www.elal.co.il/ELAL/English/AllAboutYourFlight/InFlight/SatellitePhones767.htm/. | 
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February 2007
