Ex-American Airlines A330 Stored Since 2020 Joins Israir For New York Launch

Israir’s planned New York launch has advanced after the airline took delivery of the first Airbus A330-200 previously operated by American Airlines. The carrier said the jet, stored for more than six years after being mothballed during the COVID-19 period, arrived in Israel via a U.S. route with a stopover in Cyprus. The aircraft, registration 4X-BAK, touched down at Ben Gurion Airport on Friday and will become the Israeli airline’s first widebody in almost two decades, following years operating only A320-family jets. The second A330-200 is expected early next week; the deal is described as roughly $85 million. Israir plans to launch a route from Tel Aviv (TLV) to New York JFK (JFK) in early August, after receiving approval in July 2025. Initially, both A330s will be deployed on the European network next month, per Ynet News. The airline expects the new long-haul capability to broaden beyond JFK, with mentions of Miami and several Asian countries.