El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. is the flag carrier of Israel. Since its inaugural flight from Geneva to Tel Aviv in September 1948, the airline has grown to serve over more than 50 destinations, operating scheduled domestic and international services and cargo flights within Israel and to Europe, Middle East, Americas, Africa and the Far East from its main base in Ben Gurion Airport.
In September 1948, Israel's first president, Chaim Weizmann, attended a conference in Geneva, Switzerland. Weizmann was scheduled to fly back to Israel in an Israeli government aircraft, but due to an embargo imposed on Israel at the time, this was not possible. An Israeli C-54 military transport aircraft was instead converted into a civilian plane to transport Weizmann home. The aircraft was painted with the logo of the "El Al/Israel National Aviation Company" and fitted with extra fuel tanks to enable a non-stop flight from Geneva to Israel. It departed from Ekron Air Base on 28 September, and returned to Israel the next day. After the flight, the aircraft was repainted and returned to military use. The airline was incorporated and became Israel's national flag carrier on 15 November 1948.
Livery
Boeing 737-8HX, registration 4X-EKS, built 2008, serial number 36433 Cointrin (GVA), Geneva, Switzerland, 10 July 2016
