EL AL has announced the launch of an innovative service, the first of its kind in the aviation world, which will enable its customers to find other passengers with whom to share a ride between the airport and their hotels and back to the airport, substantially lowering their travel expenses.
This new service is a response to frequent complaints voiced by tourists about the high cost of travel between airport and hotels. For example, a drive from the airport in London to the center of the city can cost as much as NIS 500.
Passengers on a flight can register for the service on a designated mobile site. The service helps to find additional passengers arriving at the same airport at the same time with whom they can share a taxi as they continue to destinations in same area in the city, such as hotels or private addresses.
Likewise, the ride-share service is meant for passengers who are not only interested in reducing their expenses but also in protecting the environment or who are unfamiliar with the city and would like to meet friends with whom they can travel while on vacation.
- The service is provided by EL AL to customers of all airlines, so that passengers flying with other airlines, all over the world, can make use of the service to find passengers landing at the same time and continue with them to the same hotel or to a nearby address.
- Signing up for the service is easy. Passengers wishing to avail themselves of the service enter the app and fill in details such as flight number and date of flight, address or hotel at the destination, an email address and telephone number. It is important to note that the information is not sent to other passengers who sign up for the service.
- When a match is found, each of the passengers receives a text message or email including a link to a secure and anonymous chat room. From this stage, and after the connection has been made between two passengers, all other arrangements and details are worked out by the passengers, through the chat: meeting point at the airport, ordering a taxi, sharing costs, etc.
- Vice President Customer Service Amir Rugovsky: “As part of our efforts to understand our customers' needs, we found an efficient, quality solution for many passengers. In addition to the high monetary expenses involved in traveling, they are forced to spend hundreds more shekels or dollars for transportation to and from their hotels.”
EL AL Chief Digital and Information Officer Shachar Markovitz said: “This service is another innovative concept in which the airline is introducing and continually improving new digital products. The product was quickly launched like a startup-like and it will continue to develop as more customers use it.”