El Al is considered the national airline of Israel. It was privatised many years ago. It is has to cope with the high cost of security, as well as the multiple demands of Israeli travelers, who are never considered an easy bunch of tourists.

For years, the joke was that its initials stood for Every Landing Always Late. However, for all that, be you an Israeli, Jew from overseas, evangelical, business tourist or whomever – there is a feeling that you want to travel with the national airline of the Holy Land.

Thus, when I had to make an emergency 2-day visit to England last week, I too wanted to book with my national airline. I went to the website, made the booking, paid, and all seemed to be just hunky dory. That is when the fun started

It turned out that I had made a mistake. I had not realised that I had organized the return trip for 10 days time. No problem. I called up the help line. I was answered quickly by a pleasant sounding male assistant.

A) Yes, I could change. As with many airlines, El Al rips you off – my assessment – for US$120 approx for altering your ticket, a process which takes about 90 seconds. So be it. I had made a mistake.

B) Yes, a place was  still available on the return flight I had originally targeted. There is a price difference – Why? Same flight, but one week earlier in the dead month of January –  of about US$100. So be it. I had to return as planned.

C) And…wait for it…here comes the juicy bit….as I was staying in the UK  less than three nights and / or not over a weekend, there would a further excess charge of ………….US$350! (The original return flight was costing US$477).

As you can imagine, I was somewhat distressed by this. However, I kept my cool. It took me a couple of minutes to make the helpline understand that I might as well just order a one way ticket from one of their competitors. From his voice, he did not seem to comprehend the logic of this, nor why I should jump to another company, nor why I might be a “tad upset” for being ripped off.

Eventually, he began to use his brain. He converted my points………you see, until now I have been a relatively loyal customer…..to cover the US$350 surcharge. Well, I was never going to use them anyway.

All I had left to pay was about US$220. Now get this. That sum included a US$5 handling charge, as this had been a sale made over the phone!!!!!!!!!!! I kid you not.

So, for all those reading this, let us agree. El Al’s policy of this US$350 – for staying less than 3 nights or not staying over a weekend or whatever other pathetic reasoning is used – is what is called in best Shakespearian English as a SCAM. It is nasty. It is the typical abuse of power of defenseless consumers by a large company, just trying to ‘get away with it’. It disgusts me. And it offends all those who I have told the story to.

However, I wanted to be fair to El Al. Therefore, before I wrote this blog, I posted a simple question on a Facebook page, frequented by hundreds of people who fly regularly, both for work and pleasure. I wrote:

I am conducting some research into El Al. Would you say you are pleased with them or have horror stories – price, service, schedule, etc – and why?

I received nearly 100 comments. I counted at least 21 positive responses, many citing security considerations. As for the rest, the overwhelming majority of the statements were full of frustration if not down right damning. I quote four examples:

• The last time I flew El Al I went to London and my suitcase went to New York. It took them five days to get it back to me and then it was delivered at 2 am…..Their attitude during the five days the luggage was lost was deplorable.
• Many airlines are still using similarly-aged aircraft but through refurbishments are able to provide up-to-date IFE and comfortable seats. El Al made a choice not to do this
• Part of the problem is leg room, they do have leg room, the problem is that most of us have two legs. (My favourite comment, that one, MH).
• Once they put chicken in my vegetarian meal, I though it was tofu but my daughter tasted it and said it was chicken. I complained but never got any compensation. The last time I flew I didn’t get a meal at all they had run out of veggie meals even though I had pre-booked.

One of the respondents did refer me to a more professional survey, which compared international airlines. El Al turned up trumps in terms of safety, but sucks when it comes to punctuality.

To be fair, the service on both of my flights was very good and attentive. And I have made my complaints known to the company in their standard post-flight survey.

What did the US$350 buy El Al? As things stand at the moment, I have to order several more tickets to England during the coming year. Unfortunately, I guess that I will be joining, very sadly and very reluctantly, that growing crowd of former regularly El Al customers who do their best to avoid their national airline.