I hope you enjoyed the video - please follow me on instagram.com/gotravelyourway for daily updates! See you over there :)

In 1973 I was getting on a plane at Lod airport. The security guy looked at my passport and says "I see you visit mostly Eastern European countries. Why is that?" I said I'm studying Slavic languages, particularly Russian literature." The guy, who was my age, switches to Russian and as he's going thru my baggage says "Why don't you tell me a little about the character development of Parfen Rogozhin in Dostoevky's The Idiot." Surprised, I started doing my usual "I'm not prepared for this" analysis of the character development. He finished my luggage and says "OK, you can get on the plane but I suggest you read your Dostoevsky a little more carefully."

El Al does a background check on every passenger before the flight, especially on a route like Dubai-TLV, so they knew you were an avgeek with a youtube page and the crew was briefed before the flight to take extra care of you during this flight, and not even question you even though u went to Iran and Irak.

Back in the mid 80’s I flew from Heathrow to Tel Aviv on El Al ... the security was unbelievable ( not a bad thing ) but , shall I say “ unsettling “ 👍

Due to "extraordinary" nature of El Al, everybody called it as "007 Airline". The only ones that flew with EW-suite and Praetorian security.

That flight attendant had no ring on her left hand and I promise you she wasn't being nice to Josh on accident LOL 🥰

One of the best flight attendants I’ve seen! Clearly loves her job and has a passion to make her passengers onboard leave with a great experience

About 20 years ago, my mother flew El Al from London to Israel. She was a wine buyer at the time. She remembers that El Al had no trouble with her carrying her corkscrew onto the plane. When she flew from the states to London, TSA had confiscated it from her and sent it through baggage. She asked El Al's security person why it was allowed. She says they told her their security check showed her to be a wine buyer and that she had held that job since retiring from being a school teacher 12 years earlier. They did not think that a wine buyer carrying a corkscrew was anything that threatened security. So El Al might have the toughest security, but they are, also, realists.

As a frequent flyer to and from Israel, I find El Al to offer the best staff service. Though the amenities may not be as nice as some of the others, I always feel at peace during the flight. There is something very nice about the flight when all the passengers are happy with the service, the feelings are somewhat contagious. I tried just about every airline there is to offer in and out of Israel, El Al is my go to every time now.

An ELAL 707 was hijacked sometime in the late 1960's and the Capt decided to do a part barrel roll by tipping the plane sharply to one side thereby throwing the hijacker(s) off balance and being overpowered by the passengers.

Such beautiful crew. It felt like you were in someone’s home rather than on a plane. What great hospitality

As an ex flight attendant the FA on this flight was amazing! She’s very warm lovely. Impeccable on board service 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was SO GOOD to watch! ❤️ The crew feed you like loving grandmothers - short of giving you pocket money! 😂 I look forward to my experience on the EL AL 😁

Josh, you give me an opportunity to see things that I have not and probably never will experience. You also show respect to the different people and their culture. As Arvazir said below: " I am 100% sure you have fantastic parents/family." Amen. Thank you for sharing these experiences with people like me. Please continue to do this.

I was an IT guy for Pan Am Airways back in the late 70s and early 80s. Your comment really brought back memories for me. There really is nothing like the camaraderie that one develops with your co-workers in the airline industry.

Josh!! I saw your vlog for the first time... did really enjoyed. I fully support you for feelings regarding bridging the people and share happiness regardless of their believe, background or petty differences.... It's too much of haterade and egos... it's time to share love and peace.... I am from Pakistan and I live in Dubai with my family and frequently travel around the world... my experience with jews or Israelis is always "cool", they're nice, welcoming and just like us, it's media, the governments and politicians those who divide us otherwise we're all same humans. I might visit with my wife and kids to Israel and would love to see hospitality of our Israelis friends in coming days so that I can tell my friends and my countrymen that it's high time... let's sit together and enjoy this life...

Josh, as a Flight Attendant, I agree that aviation and travel are ingredients to peace among people. I've met so many from around the world and have learned we have more in common then political agendas...family,love,pain, joy,etc....we experience all of what life offers regardless of borders,creeds,religions, and politics...we are all human. As for El Al....they have never been on my mind as a choice of air travel but, they are now because of your honest video and stamp of approval. Someday, I look foward to visiting Israel and flying their flag carrier!

We were travelling once with 3 kids (2 lap babies) and the flight attendant gave us a seat for one of the lap babies as well as a large water bottle (1 liter) to my wife who was nursing. Really family friendly airline.

My slightly older brother has been to Israel 3 times and believe it or not he told me that apart from visiting Masada the three flights going to the state was a lesson in kindness and hospitality that other airlines should take note of , and with the terror attacks that have been going on since Israel’s birth is a stark lesson that we all should take note on. 🇮🇱🙏🙏🙏. I just remembered that he told me that he did have a bad case of the Aztec two step not long after arriving in Israel and the kindness of the tour guides was another lesson that tour guides of different countries should take note of and act on, from checking up him while he was ill to making sure he kept hydrated and to keep at him fed even when food was the last thing on his mind

Moin! Very lovely and classy flight attendant there! 😍Really can understand why you have enjoyed the flight. Cheers & keep up the good work! 👍

The flight attendant alone was definitely worth the price

Sometimes I feel that your experiences with the various airlines may not be what an average passenger would experience just because they know you are a reviewer, so they will go the extra mile to please you, but at least that is an indication that they care. By sharp contrast, when you have a bad experience on an airline even though they know you are a reviewer, then that is an indication that we should avoid that airline by all means necessary lol Excellent review, Josh. That was very entertaining to watch, especially that female flight attendant. I was very jealous :)

The flight attendants know he's a KZfaq personality and are giving him the red carpet treatment to impress his viewers. They're friendly but this is inauthentic.

The service was tremendous, looks like you were super looked after and the cabin crew's demeanour seemed very welcoming, certainly did a good job representing EL AL that's for sure.

When I flew in the U.S. we could also carry guns and a lot of us do. It’s a post 9/11 thing. What infuriates me are the disgusting people who try to blind us with lasers. The FAA has at least taken measures to try and prosecute these losers to the fullest extent of the law. We spend a lot of time and sweat to become pilots and for someone to try and take our passion away and endanger passengers is just unconscionable.

I know Turkish airlines flies a lot into TLV, and knew that UAE Israel now have relations, but did not know emirates was actually flying into Tel Aviv, amazing.

Thank you Josh for sharing your EL AL flight. Just shows - the goodwill you experienced I felt too in Cape Town SA ❣️

My flights on El Al have been some of the finest I've EVER experienced. Top marks!!!11

Hi, Josh. Greetings and salutations from Clarksville, Tennessee Fort Campbell area. Nice indeed to see countries and cultures come together and creating understanding and respect. Looking forward to visiting Israel in the near future. Will fly El Al. I have Jewish roots and want to visit the Holy Land. Thank you. Shalom.🇺🇸❤

Wonderful to see cabin crew that truly seem to enjoy their job and are such great ambassadors for their employer. No matter how disappointing the hard product may be, the crew can play a big part making up for that. A very happy video, made for a great start of my weekend….! Thank you Josh for the ever increasing quality of your video’s, let’s go for 600.000 subscribers 🎉🙏🏼

She is the best flight crew man ! ❤ Great Job EL AL Hats Off ! Respects

Very nice video. The crew of this flight were fantastic. No wonder the food offered was excellent, Israeli cuisine is one of the best in the world IMO (definitely my favourite). Top service flight, it looked worth the ticket price. Thank you for sharing your experience. I hope I will have a chance to fly El Al at least once in my life.

In my El Al interview (back in the 747 times) I was asked when I had arrived in Boston (our departure airport). I said I had flown in from Atlanta the day before, and spent the night in Boston. "Where in Boston did you stay?" they inquired. "An apartment very near here," I replied (it had been an Airbnb, although I failed to mention that.) "And whose apartment was it?" "Um. . .Tom's!" I answered, relieved that I was able to recall the Host's name, given how nervous I was by then. "And what was 'Tom's' *last* name?" they asked. "I don't know," I admitted, "but. . . I can look it up?!" "You spent the night at his apartment, yet you don't know *his last name* ??!!" 🥴🤔😬 I still laugh about that. What kind of tramp was I, anyway?! LOL 😂 Security *is* the name of the game on El Al!

Interesting observation you made about the anti-missile measures installed on the plane. The need for this arose about 20 years ago, when a jetliner of another Israeli carrier (Arkia) was targeted by two SA7 Strela missiles while taking off from Mombasa, Kenya by Al Qaeda terrorists. Luckily the missiles missed their target, but since then the lesson was learned and the planes were armed with this system.

The air hostess was hospitable and excellent. Something I didn't experience on the purportedly world's best airline Qatar airways.

Best airline in the world. Best crews, good planes and high security. I love El Al!

I love Israel but I would take this flight review with a pinch of salt. Mr. Cahill is treated the way we see has to do with the fact that they knew who he was. I would love to see flight reviews done in cognito and also more in economy class. We all know that business class gets special treatment and the vast majority of travelers who follow you fly economy like me. I love the way you present, and continue to follow you around. 🙂

Years ago when I was in the military a couple of us went to Norway to give instruction for the winter Olympics armed with a couple of large camera box's with inert items, the Capt came off to view them as the EL AL flight and their own security machines were next to us....as the box went through the couple watching the screen immediately stopped having seen something suspious tell you not one of the 6 security missed that item and it was small, would fly with them anytime

Hey Josh. Big fan of your work. I loved this video, in particular because of the human charm of the crew looking after you. How lovely. You are right - aviation, like sport, brings people together. I wish I had made that connection sooner. Keep doing your stuff. Best wishes, Zac

India welcomes you....the sheer no of Indian customers will bring you to the top ❤❤❤

Wow very impressed with how amazing the crew were so attentive and helpful

Watching that El Al 787 taxing in while the national carrier of my kingdom gulf air at the gate is just an eye candy. The world is getting to be a better place indeed.

I travel with EL AL and have the same experience like Josh. Crew really made the flight! Food is always great and crew is very friendly and engaging. I had special request during the flight and they went behind my expectations. One of the flight attendants told me (after I expressed my appreciation on great quantity of food) that 'Nobody on EL AL will go hungry, ever'. I asked for seconds and it was given to me...Just lovely.

Concerning the use of lasers in the Palestine area, it's important to prioritize safety as lasers can pose risks to all passengers on board, regardless of their background. Ensuring safety measures, as practiced by airlines like El Al, is crucial. History has shown the need to be cautious, but let's focus on promoting safety for everyone.

Great report! I was thoroughly interrogated by Israeli security upon departure from Ben Gurion and I was extremely pleased by it. I felt completely safe and secure. The interviewer asked me if I understood why they’re asking all of the questions they did and I said I did. By the way, I overheard the next traveler being interviewed and the questions were not the same as I was asked so it’s a true interrogation, not just someone reading the same questions over and over. I was very impressed.

Enjoyed this video! I wish airlines in the USA could go back to this beautiful level of service. It’s inspiring to see flight attendants friendly, engaged and Smiling! Used to be that way here before 2002. 🙏

I flew London to Tel Aviv with El Al way back in 1977 (Boeing 720). The security was pretty strict but my then Australian partner was Jewish and he chatted away in Hebrew to the check-in staff. Apparently he vouched for me and there were no problems. Leaving Tel Aviv with Air France (Boeing 747-100) to Bangkok via Teheran (it was in the days of the Shah and friendly relations with Israel) I was taken aside and asked a lot of questions about what I had been doing in Israel. My hand baggage was searched plus a body pat-down. This was before the days of scanning machines etc. I never knew the reason for the scrutiny but the security guy was friendly and it was fairly quick. Strange, considering I was flying Air France and leaving the country, but it is what it is.

I recommend flying on El Al every single time to Israel, extremely safe

A friend of mine worked airport security in the 1980s at Manchester Airport. He told me there were only two airlines that tallied baggage checked in with the actual passenger boarding list. That is, ensuring no-one could check in a bag, presumably with a bomb inside, and then not board the flight. Those two airlines were American and El Al. Even back in the 1980s, security was paramount for El Al.

he's not joking. I just flew last week. Its really really security tight. love it

A friend of mine, a tall blonde German gentleman, was interrogated for an hour because he visited egypt before. Instead of his designated seat, he was then seated elsewhere next to a supposed air marshall with no other passengers around. He didnt mind though, security has to be top notch for an israeli airline. There actually was a El Al hijacking in 1968, before air marshalls. Since then, attacks only took place on the ground, often resulting in wounded, prisoned and dead attackers.

In the early 80s I worked for a tour operator in the UK. For certain destinations, we had to ask clients if they had an Israeli stamp in their passports. Many countries wouldn't let you visit if you'd been to Israel, even for a day. Not sure when (or if) that changed.

Your flight attendant is a stunner! Wow! What a lovely personality, well trained and genuinely wants to make your experience one to remember. If ever given the chance to go to Israel I'm most certainly booking with El Al. Great job Mr. Cahill!

"I do not know how targeting a civil airliner full of families adds any value to the region" You just summarized Palestine's biggest problem. It's not Israelis, it's the palestinians themselves holding the region down.

What wonderful crew ! Your hostess was absolutely first class. The food looked pretty spectacular as well. It’s nice to know that they feed you well- guess that’s a perk of first class. The passengers behind you were really trying to get on frame 😂. ❤

Our homeboy looks totally impressed. He's blushing 😅

I was really impressed with the friendliness of the cabin crew. These days, this is becoming rare. Congratulations to the wonderful crew on this flight!❤🎉

Wow, it really was an amazing crew. I’ve been waiting a long time for you to check out ElAl as I’ve always thought that it’s a great airline. Thank you so much for your review!

Thank you again Josh for a wonderful flight tour. ❤

The service was amazing and the stwerdess, just the definition of international charm and sophistication from days gone by. Good to see that excellent standards still exist.

I flew EL AL airline back in 1976 (yes I am that old). It was a very interesting experience. That was a time when highjacking planes was still a thing so I appreciated the extra security. At that time, the flight attendants were all male and we're military veterans. The only thing that I didn't like was the food. We were delayed on the tarmac at JFK for over 3 hours because something happening in Canada and they could not serve us anything except water until we were in the air. It does look like the food has improved. That was a different time (only 18 months after the Yom kippur war) but would I fly EL AL airline again? YES definitely!

I love how no one is talking about the children in the middle seats and the family that were constantly starring at Josh

El Al is pretty unique as an airline...especially on an unscheduled stop. I was living in Wichita, KS when 9/11 happened, and every aircraft in the US was vectored to the nearest commercial airport that could receive them. Wichita "Intercontinental" (ICT) which was usually populated by a variety of regional puddle-jumpers, domestic 737s, and the occasional 757..... suddenly had a line-up of wide-body jets from far-flung and exotic locales......including an El Al chartered 747, with most of a plane load of exchange students who that thought they were flying direct from Los Angeles to Tel Aviv. The passengers got to spend a week sleeping on Red Cross cots in a High School gymnasium and touring the local sights (such as they were), with most of the flight crew acting as additional volunteer chaperones. Including Old Cowtown Museum, which I was a senior manager at... Trying to explain the Wild West, cattle drives, and cowboys to young people who mostly had never even seen a Western movie and whose English was often shaky turned into a memorable occasion, and the El Al crew were all doing their best to deal with cranky teens who really didn't understand why Americans seemed to be making such a fuss about terrorism....and not letting them go home.

From my research I believe it would be easier to "blind the pilot with a lazer" by shining it into the cockpit and not the bottom of the fuselage from behind. Just an observation.

I flew with El Al in Feb 2019, HKG - TLV, also on J Class, 787. While I didn't get the VIP treatment like Josh, I knew I was travelling ULTRA safe because the Sky Marshal was located directly behind me. How did I know? a) before the flight took off I saw him walked into the cockpit freely, and b) he stayed up during the entire flight, playing with his smartphone and making notes while the rest of the J Class pax slept 😂

Absolutely enjoyed every bit of this video. I truly felt sitting next to you and almost felt that service flowed through the video. Well done!

The flight attendant is an absolute gem.

I just traveled to Israel with ELAL airlines. My elderly parents myself and my wife and 11 year old daughter are Armenian US citizens and Christian’s who wanted to visit Israel to see the holy sites and where Jesus walked. We always took the side of Israel in the ArabIsraeli conflict and have many Jewish friends however this changed. We were given extra scrutiny on the checkin counter in the US because my parents (in their 70s) and I had US passports which said we were born in iran. Upon arrival to Ben gurion airport in TLV we were separated and interrogated with rude questions for 2 hours even though we explained we were refugees from Iran and US citizens. In our return flight the flight attendants were very young and would oftentimes(5 times)bump into my shoulder on my economy isle seat without apology and would speak Hebrew to me even though I spoke English and don’t know Hebrew. One time the flight attendant leaned into my face 1 ft away speaking Hebrew while adjusting my seat up with her other hand. They also served egg both to and from TLV which was totally disgusting and inedible. My experiences in Israel were Also disappointing as Arab Muslims were dishonest but nice but most Jewish people were rude and greedy. The only good interactions we had there were with Arab Christians who were both honest and nice. I was saddened to realize that my affinity and love for the Jewish people (especially the Orthodox Jews) were misplaced as so many of them were so rude and greedy. Needless to say I will never travel to Israel again.

The cabin crew were lovely and a credit to the airline. Wish all cabin crew were like this.

Josh, I think that is one of the nicest crews you've flown with. I'm impressed with their service!

I'm a poor guy, I see a lot of food wasted. Of course, a few million meals wasted on business class flights a year is not a big deal compared to all the food that gets wasted around the world, but one wonders what happens to expensive wines that are not consumed but only a few sips taken - do they just throw them away? And if they don't .... then what? Edit: Turns out that, yes, they throw away all that food millions of tons annually globally.

Ever since the new management took over ElAl customer service has improved massively.

What a gorgeous flight attendant! Not being a reviewer I can say that ElAl service always has been great. The last time I flew into TLV I actually did so on Lufthansa, and there was a perceivable difference in the service attitude, even though that airline also has a high standard. As to the country, Israel always is a great destination. Having been through the 9/11 experience in NYC I appreciate ElAl's commitment to safety above everything very much.

I’m a former El Al flight attendant and I truly appreciate all your kind words! I’m glad you emphasized the safety and security aspect which we’re proud of. Fly on El Al to/from New York or Newark and your experience will be very different. Hope you enjoyed my beautiful country!

Hi Josh! Thank you for bringing the world to us! I greatly appreciate all of your work. I would love to fly on ELAL. What wonderful and sweet hospitality. The looked delicious. Yes, travel, music and good food can bring people together. Blessings to you. Stay Safe and Peaceful.

Man she treated you like a KING

My goodness, the service and attentiveness exhibited by the El Al crew were just overwhelming.

That's insane that they use lasers to blind the pilot.

Josh what are you recording on your videos with the mic attached is it a go pro

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the flight attendant ply you with food and alcohol... That is what I call A+ service! I recently had a similar service on Emirates and receiving this kind of service truely creates a memorable experience and is what "customer delight" means.

Aviation brings everyone together. That was best part of the video. Great video Josh

Watching the Iran Air video before this one has made the first video look like Con Air 😂

She wanted to get married, bro kept declining the salmon

I am new to your channel, so I chose this review to begin, since my daughter and family live in Israel. I fly there often, sometimes El Al, other times Delta, United, Lufthansa. To be honest, El Al used to deserve their reputation for arrogant flight attendants, but in the last five years, they have become very pleasant. Of course there is heavy security! There are many states and citizens that would love to cause a tragedy to Israel. So, even without politics, I understand the importance.

Not having flown EL Al, I was very impressed and now look forward to flying with them!

As of October 9th 2023, the conflicts intensified between Israel and Hamas; we all know why extra security are needed for all Israeli planes. I am glad you had a safe flight as many flights are cancelled in or out of Israel for now.

in the early nineties, I was "based" in Munich, Germany., and I travelled to Israel as I was been invited to work in a Kibbutz in Haifa, but prior that I've been to Egypt, Libya and Morocco, just prior my arriving in the Country. At the customs, they "kept" me for questioning, the reasons of me coming to those countries. I didn't appreciate the "approach" and kept my posture and said the least, only showed them the invitation and contact address of the person in charge of the Kibbutz in Haifa. They kept me for at least 4 hours at the Ben Gurion's Airport. By the way , I'am a Brazilian passport holder, and my experience in Israel was awesome, food people culture and everything..... "Todaraba" ( תודה רבה) for sharing it Cahill....

you had a feast buddy, lucky fish! and a happy belated new year to you. great video. 😊

Josh, I am so very grateful to you for indirectly teaching me to respect the culture, standards, behavior and even tolerate misbehaviors at times. I am 100% sure you have fantastic parents/family. It would be an honor to have one like you in the friends circle. I was associated with aviation industry and had the honor of initiating new station for Ethiopian Airlines in Kisangani, Congo. But now back in my hometown Karachi, Pakistan running a business promotion Business Club. Hope to welcome you one day over here.

Great video Josh, definitely on my list to try. Crew were amazing.

your video just showed up in my feed. i’ve watched a few and am now subscribed to your channel. i really like your style and interactions with staff & crew. the air hostess on El Al is lovely ❤ her interactions with you is a selling point for the airline. thank you for the great travel coverage. plus, including history and political info makes your videos even more interesting.

Josh and the hostess had a little game of cat & mouse . Josh the mouse had a lucky escape his expressions said it all. 😂

I had such a good giggle in this video Josh!! That flight attendant was OUTSTANING!!!! I actually had tears in my eyes at the service you got in that flight. Israel can be very proud of their carrier. And the mother and daughter behind you!!

EL AL's biggest problem is not its security issues but rather their complete inconsistency with their service. According to the video you posted you received an A+++ service and the staff was amazing. I had several flights with them with similar services as well. But the problem begins when you stumble on a staff that are not only unfriendly but they are literally behave like they are doing a favor for you for serving you on board and you never know what staff will you be "falling" to. That's the main reason I stopped flying with EL AL and I prefer the others - Not to mention them being super pricy comparing to other airlines. The only time I would prefer flying with EL AL is if someone pays me or perhaps its the best financial or only option I have.

This airline is without a doubt the safest in the world. I hope one day I will visit this amazing nation. Humble respect from France EL AL 👏

well dear what do you expect ? Israel has to watch its back. October 7 proves just why we have to be so vigilant even if it spoils your journey

My mom was a teenager during and after WWII and she always held such love for the Israli people and she passed it on to me. I care for all countries also. She loved the Israelis way more. I enjoyed your review of ElAl alot. Thanks for your reviews. I hope you keep them up.

Oh wow I really hope El Al management see this video and honour that flight attendant with some kind of reward, she is simply fantastic! She clearly enjoys what she does. Both thumbs up!

I was doing work on the tarmac of a major airport at the new gates. One of these rolled up, and everything came to a halt. No more work. When you're on the tarmac, you can't be within 500 feet of the plane and there are armed guards OUTSIDE the plane 24/7 Its pretty wild.

I liked your trip to Israel I was surprised that you didn’t mention the desert on El Al also the quality of the entertainment All in All you where excellent Thanks