I RECENTLY WAS TOLD ABOUT TWO “low cost” airlines flying MIA – TLV with only one stop.
Flying out of MIA (Miami International) is less of a hassle now that a fast train lets me beat interstate traffic and arrive at the airport quickly and in reasonable comfort. There still is the “40-mile hike” from the train to the ticket counter and then on to the boarding portal via the winding line to TSA. (Coming back to MIA is no better.)
ANYWAY . . .
I CHECKED the prices to fly MIA > TLV > MIA on Iceland’s WOW airline.
At first blush, the price was impressive. If I bought a ticket today for a flight in October (10/10) the I would pay US$479.99. Truely WOW!
But, like a tv ad, there was a “But wait” to the price. Actually, several “but waits.”
The ticket was one way with one stop – KEF.
That didn’t bother me; I’d LIKE to stop in Reykjavík, but preferably during the area’s one day of summer. (I went MIA > AMS > TLV in the first week of August wearing only a short-sleeved shirt; I was cold — but I enjoyed my over-night stay none-the-less. Schiphol is a nice airport.)
The FIRST “got’cha” was that the US$479.99 was only from MIA to TLV.
To come back to MIA a little more than two weeks later (10/25) I would have to pay an additional US$399.99. (I hate 99¢ pricing.)
So now the ticket would cost US$880 less 2¢ — plus taxes and all the other check-out add on surprises.
For US$880 (less 2¢) I could have one “personal” item — cannot be a computer; TSA won’t allow that as a carry on anymore — and one checked bag from MIS to TLV. On the way BACK to MIA, I would have to pay US$49.99 for the stowed bag. Maybe WOW knows about people going to Israel: they are loaded with gifts for their 5,000 closest relatives; the bag is empty on the way back.
(I note that the “booking summary” shows a current bill of US$925.96; that includes US$112.58 for “taxes and fees.”)
Did I mention that for the economy price — and the next level up — passengers need to brown bag their meals. This, of course, is not a problem for the very observant Jew who only trusts his rabbi’s heksure, but for the average Jew who will settle for OU, Star K, Circle K and local certifications, it could be a l_o_n_g time between meals. The KEF layover is in excess of 15 hours on the way to TLV, but only slightly more than 5 hours on the return flight. US citizens do NOT need a visa — just the passport — to leave the airport. Passport and suitable clothing.
There ARE options. Business class is attractive — for a price. But, passengeres DO get a meal, a bigger seat (there are only 6 such seats on the Airbus 321), “XXL legroom,” and priority boarding (translation: the passenger has more time to sit in the tube).
In order to travel in reasonable comfort, the price would be “a little higher.” From US$880 (less 2¢ and all the “taxes and fees), the trip to TLV would be US$1,472.
Granted, WOW’s tickets are a tad less than El Al’s — the carrier is preparing to offer a direct (non-stop) “economy” flight departing MIA to TLV on10/10 and leaving TLV on 10/24 for US$1,220 plus the usual taxes. El Al’s business class would set a passenger back US$4,675 plus taxes, etc. But, no layovers.
Even on El Al’s “cheap” flights passengers are fed and are allowed at least one carry on and one stowed item.
If a passenger is willing to suffer a long layover or is prepared to race from one terminal to another, then almost any airline (or airline combo) can get a person from MIA to TLV. (I have run the terminal gaunlet in New York, Madrid, Rome, London, and — never again — Paris.)
WOW has competition in the economy market from neighboring Finland’s Finnair. Finnair offers a round trip MIA > HEL > TLV for US$1,012 (plus taxes, etc.) Finnair will feed economy class — for a €12 fee. (There also is an a la carte menu.) Finnair allows one carry-on and one checked bag as part of the ticket price, but as with all airlines, there are weight and size limits.
There is a 5-hour layover in HEL on the way to TLV and a 10-hour layover on the way back to MIA.
All prices above are “subject to change,” but they convince me there ARE options to consider.
All prices are from the airlines’ web pages.
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Comments: In my opinion
