El Al's Departing CEO: Honored to Head a Symbol of Israeli Strength

Dina Ben Tal Gannensia officially ended her role as CEO of El Al yesterday, after about four years in the position and two decades with the company. Upon the conclusion of her tenure, Ben Tal Gannensia addressed El Al employees in a farewell letter, thanking the management and employees and summarizing her term.

Ben Tal Gannensia assumed her role during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, a period when the global aviation industry faced one of the sharpest crises in its history. "When I was appointed CEO of El Al, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, I faced the task of putting the company on a path to recovery and success," she wrote.

During her tenure, El Al also had to deal with the implications of the "Iron Swords" war. According to the outgoing CEO, the company worked to maintain operational continuity, keep the flight schedule, and operate special rescue flights. "We went above and beyond to bring hundreds of thousands of customers back home during complex days, and above all, to bring everyone home safely," she noted.

During her tenure, El Al led a series of strategic moves, including signing aircraft purchase deals - including the largest deal in the company's history - aimed at expanding and modernizing the aircraft fleet, expanding partnerships with international airlines through code-share agreements, and investing in improving customer experience and service.

During her term, branding moves were made, service infrastructures were upgraded, the "Frequent Traveler" club was expanded, and technological innovations were launched on the website and app. The customer club now counts more than 3.2 million members, who constitute more than 50% of the company's passengers.

Ben Tal Gannensia thanked the owners of the company, the board of directors, the management of El Al and the company's employees, as well as the investing public, travel agents, and business partners in Israel and abroad. "El Al is for me much more than an airline - it is a home, a family, and a symbol of Israeli power," she wrote.

Upon the conclusion of her tenure, she wished success to the incoming CEO, Levi Halevi, and to Moshe Morgenstern, who was appointed CEO of the "Frequent Traveler" club.