This is part 4 of a 5 part series of blog posts about Sarah and my physical journey to Israel.
Introduction
Virgin Atlantic from Los Angeles (LAX) to London (LHR)
Customs in London & Yotel Hotel Layover
El Al from London (LHR) to Tel Aviv (TLV)
Conclusion
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Since we had some issues when we checked in with Virgin Atlantic back in LA, we decided to give ourselves some extra time to check in with El Al. We actually were the first people in line and got to the check-in desk before the El Al staff had even shown up. Once the El Al staff showed up, we went through the standard El Al interrogation.
While the security woman had no issue with the fact that I did not yet have a student visa, she did take issue with me for one simple reason: I was starting school to be a Rabbi. "Why do you want to be a Rabbi?" she asked, with a tone that implied that only someone completely meshuganeh would actually want to be a Rabbi. I didn't mind, since I am used to people not completely understanding why anyone in their right mind would want to enter this field. It was just pretty amusing to get that question from an El Al security guard. She only asked Sarah a few questions, but she had a lot more for me. Clearly, she was not worried about us, she was more curious about my studies.
After she was done questioning us, we went up to check in. Although we did have to check our rolling bag, since we were in coach, they didn't charge us, even though it was our third checked bag. Score. Further, there was an equipment change, so instead of a 777 with 3-3-3 seating, we were on a 767 which seats people 2-3-2. Fortunately, we were able to get two seats together on a side. Double score.
We went through security (which went pretty fast) and decided to get some dinner. We ate at a restaurant called Giraffe. For airport food, it was fantastic. For British food, it was fantastic. The atmosphere was tropical with really nice wait staff. Sarah and I split a veggie burrito and a vegetable salad. Both were surprisingly delicious. Then, it was time to make our way to the gate.
El Al #318, London (Tue. Apr. 5, 10:30 PM) - Tel Aviv (Wed. Apr. 6, 5:20 AM)
4X-EAK, Boeing 767-300ER
Seat 56 A (window) & C (aisle)
LHR: Terminal 1, Depart 20m late
TLV: Terminal 3, Arrive 10m late
Duration: 4h40m
There were no announcements at the gate to start boarding. At one point, people just got up and started going on. Then, once we were onboard, there was an apology in Hebrew and English from the captain that the inbound plane had arrived late. Then, only in Hebrew, the inflight manager said something to the effect of "Get on, and get in a seat. The airport is about to close, and I don't want to think about what will happen if we don't get going." As soon as everyone was on and the door closed, she came on the overhead and said, again only in Hebrew, "We did it!"
Other than the difference in seating, the biggest difference between the 777 and the 767 is that the 767 does not have personal screens. Instead, there are strategically placed screens throughout the cabin. This wasn't a big deal for us, since we planned to sleep most of the flight. I actually fell asleep during take-off. I remember hearing the engines roar, and the next thing I knew, we were mid-flight. Sarah said they offered meal service, but I completely slept through it. Unlike Virgin Atlantic, which offered Sarah a wonderful vegetarian meal, El Al's vegetarian meal was some sliced fruit. That's it. The regular meal was a choice of pasta or a sandwich with some sides (salad, roll, dessert). When I woke up, it was only about two hours into the 4.75 hour flight, and the cabin lights were still on. Of course, shortly after I woke up, they turned off the lights, but I couldn't go back to sleep. I watched the inflight entertainment which wasn't horrible. The cool thing is that they had current Israeli news from that evening. They also had a program called "Good News," which showcased only happy, human interest stories from Israel. That was a nice touch!
We eventually landed in Israel, got our bags, had no issues going through customs, waited about 45 minutes for our shared ride van to leave, and made our way to our new home. What a trip.
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