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Israel hails Saudi agreement to open skies to all airlines

Riyadh has decided to allow flights from Israel to cross Saudi airspace, significantly cutting flight times to the Far East.
JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Israel's leadership and Israeli travelers are excited after last night's announcement by Saudi Arabia that it would open the country’s airspace to all air carriers. Flights departing from Israel will now be able to follow the shortest route to the Far East and no longer need to make a detour on their way to Asia. Flights from Israel to Thailand will now take eight hours instead of 10 and flights from Israel to Mumbai should take five and a half hours instead of seven and a half.

The Saudi decision is also being hailed as a further sign of rapprochement between the two countries.

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