Israel's airline to fly on the Sabbath?

For the past 22 years, Israel's national airline, El Al, has not operated flights on Saturdays due to government restrictions about working on the Sabbath.

But that could change next month if the airline is no longer considered a government company.

Globes Online reports investors in El Al are expected to exercise their options by June 3, thus reducing state ownership of the airline from 81 percent to 49.5 percent.

Government sources stress to Globes that as of now, "El Al operates as a wholly commercial company, except in certain matters, which are likely to change if its status is changed."

Flying on Saturdays is said to be the most important matter, as the carrier has rested on Saturdays since 1982 when the government exercised a legal clause to outlaw them.

El Al's website currently redirects flyers to other days of the week.

Someone looking for a flight this Saturday from Tel Aviv to London would see the following message:

"EL AL Flights from Tel Aviv to London on Saturday, May 15, 2004 – No flights are scheduled for this date."

However, on flights to the United States, including New York and Los Angeles, the El Al booking system automatically defaults to the date following Saturday, in this case displaying flight information for Sunday, May 16.