New Israeli Airline TUS IL Begins Pilot Recruitment Ahead of 2026 Launch
A new Israeli carrier, TUS IL, has begun recruiting pilots as it prepares to launch commercial operations by the end of the first quarter of 2026. The airline is the latest entrant into Israel’s evolving aviation market and is positioning itself to serve short- and medium-haul regional routes.
According to Israeli business daily Globes, TUS IL is currently seeking experienced Airbus A320 pilots and is offering an accelerated career progression path. Pilots joining the airline are promised a promotion track to captain within two years, subject to accumulating approximately 3,000 flight hours. The carrier is being led by Nir Dagan, the former chief executive of Arkia, bringing established industry experience to the startup.
TUS IL is part of the Holiday Lines Group, a major player in Israel’s tourism and aviation sector. The group already owns Greek airline Blue Bird Airways and Cypriot carrier TUS Airways. While those airlines operate under European licenses, TUS IL will be registered in Israel, allowing it to serve a broader range of destinations.
The airline has already secured a commercial license from Israel’s Ministry of Transport and is in the advanced stages of obtaining its air operator certificate. Once operational, TUS IL plans to focus on routes with flight times of four to five hours, targeting nearby leisure and business destinations.
A key strategic advantage for TUS IL is regulatory flexibility. Because Blue Bird and TUS Airways hold European licenses, they are largely restricted to operating flights between Israel and European Union destinations. This limits their ability to expand into non-EU markets such as Georgia and the United Arab Emirates—two regions that TUS IL intends to serve from launch.
Holiday Lines Group, owned by Ami Cohen and Arnon Englender, saw increased activity during the Swords of Iron war, as both TUS Airways and Blue Bird remained operational for much of the period, with only brief suspensions. That resilience appears to have encouraged the group to expand further into airline operations under an Israeli certificate.
Still, the question remains whether the market can absorb another carrier. Israel currently has four airlines in operation: El Al and its leisure subsidiary Sun D’Or, along with Israir, Arkia, and newcomer Air Haifa, which began flying during the war.
Unlike Air Haifa, which operates from northern Israel, TUS IL will be based at Ben Gurion Airport, placing it in direct competition with Sun D’Or, Israir, and Arkia on popular non-EU routes. Its success will likely depend on cost discipline, aircraft utilization, and its ability to attract both experienced pilots and price-sensitive travelers in a crowded regional market.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, en.globes.co.il