El Al offers Lite fares for tickets outside of North America, which is how it brands basic economy.
Lite fares don’t include checked bags or assigned seats and aren’t eligible for refunds or El Al Protect.
Until now, Lite fares have included a personal item and a large carry-on bag up to 8 kilograms.
Effective tomorrow, passengers on Lite fares for travel between Israel and Europe or the UAE will have to check their carry-on bag at the check-in counter or at the gate.
There is no cost for checking the carry-on bag, though I’d imagine the weight of the bag will be more closely scrutinized, and if it’s overweight, will be charged as a regular checked bag.
It’s a major inconvenience for passengers traveling with valuable or religious items in their carry-on bag who don’t want to check them under the plane. It’s also an added hassle for anyone trying to avoid checking their bags and having to wait for it at the destination and potentially dealing with lost luggage.
You can still bring a personal item onboard the plane, but that’s only valid for items up to 18x30x38cm that must be stored under your seat.
Unfortunately, this policy even applies to passengers who booked Lite fares before this restriction was announced. I’m never a fan of changes that affect previously purchased tickets, though this won’t violate DOT rules, as it doesn’t apply to US flights.
The only exception will be for Matmid elite members, who will continue to be allowed to bring their carry-on bag onboard the plane on Lite fares.
We reached out to El Al for comment, and they responded that,
“This change aims to ensure a more convenient, safe, and orderly boarding experience, while also improving takeoff times and overall in-flight organization.”
I suppose it’s better than United’s approach, which doesn’t allow carry-on bags on basic economy tickets, but this is a substantial negative change for purchasers of Lite fares who don’t have elite status with El Al.
What do you think of this change?
HT: chff
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37 Comments On "El Al Will Add Restrictions To Lite Tickets Tomorrow"
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While this is definitely annoying, if I can check my carryon at the check in counter then I’ll be able to check liquids that can’t go through security without having to pay for a checked bag. So for some people this is good
My understanding is that liquids are allowed from TLV except on US flights, so that wouldn’t apply here.
Israel doesn’t look for liquids. They look for terrorists.
This new rule only applies ex-TLV?
From my experience, I was allowed having my liquids even I had a direct flight to JFK.
They do liquid checks before you board flights to the US. YMMV
That must be old experiences
If already bought a lite fare with these changes can they upgrade to a higher fare ticket?
Yes
But now as mentioned above. they will most probably be weighing those carry-ons, which was something that they had never previously done. This is not good.
I’ve never seen a luggage scale at the gate.
Post says we might need to check in the carry-on at the check in counter.
I need a bag just for food! And make up and reading material.
Hence the need for a “pillow”case or will they weigh that also
Will checking at the gate be a valet/gate retrieval situation, or go to baggage claim?
If someone books elal to EU and then connects with another airline, will bag be checked through?
It’s very bad news, but We all know that there is no place in the overhead compartment on elal flights, this will ease a little bit and make it quicker
Will this also affect Delta Medallion members?
I’m told by an El Al spokesperson that Delta elites will be able to carry their bags onboard on Lite fares. If you try it out, let us know happens.
If you must have a carry-on ignore the Lite fares, make believe they don’t exist and buy a fare that does include a carry on.
Good luck with that! On our flight yesterday from Berlin to TLV when we went to check in they told us we must check our carryons. Didn’t weigh them, just forced us to check them in even though we had regular economy tickets. This is not the first time they’ve done that to us.
They made record profits these last few years, does every airline have to nickel and dime it’s customers?
El Al is not just an airline, it is Israel. Customer service is not part of the Eastern European mentality, and Israel is still an Eastern European country.
This is more likely a way to get boarding done more quickly.
To join matmid isn’t free?
You need to be an elite member
I flew to Europe last week with flex fare which includes 2 carry ons, but wouldn’t allow any on since there wasn’t any place.
Guess can only be a benefit to anyone buying the regular fare.
I was going to book a flight today with a travel agent but didn’t and now they are closed
Should I buy it on the website to avoid any of the changes?
“Unfortunately, this policy even applies to passengers who booked Lite fares before this restriction was announced.”
Is the “Lite” the same as the “Classic” fare? Does the “Flex” get around the issue?
No, those are 3 different fare classes. This applies to Lite only.
Off topic a little, but elal did not charge us to check in hand bags at the checkin counter. Dont know if this is only for elites or for everyone. But if u are traveling with lots of luggage and don’t want to pay for extra bags, fill up hand luggages, and check them in for free…
A big issue for self-connections
Dear Dan: Only on the El Al website is there a distinction between the type of ticket, Lite or Classic, but if I buy the ticket at Gotagate, for example, then there I buy a regular ticket, where there is no distinction in the type of ticket and there is no option to choose whether it is Classic or Lite. So maybe in a situation like this where I buy through Gotagate or another virtual agent, they have no way to enforce the new restriction because all the tickets are of the same type?
Nope. the gotogate ticket is either classic or lite fare class. If you bought a lite one it will say so on your PNR that the airline sees,
Is it legal according to uk/EU law to make such a change for tickets purchased prior to the change?
With all of the profits El Al has made why do they still want to nickel and dime us with all these extra charges?
What extra charge? you get the exact entitlement that you had before, just you need to check it in.
Oh, you were packing lead bricks when they said 8kg?