The flight from Israel to Rome will take place under tight security and media attention on May 15.

"We are honored to have been selected the airline that is carrying the Pope and his entourage and have assigned a special in-flight crew that represents several faiths," said Haim Romano, President, EL AL Israel Airlines.

Pope Benedict will be in Israel for a week between 8th and 15 May 2009, the first visit by a Pope to Israel since Pope John Paul II in 2000. This pilgrimage will be the third visit of a reigning pontiff to Israel since the state was created in 1948. This latest historic visit to Israel includes a number of destinations in Israel, including Jerusalem and key Catholic locations such as Bethlehem and Nazareth. (A detailed itinerary of the pope’s visit is not yet available.)

An exclusive EL AL aircraft will fly to Israel especially for the Pope and his entourage. The Papal group consists of 30 clergymen and 70 pre-qualified journalists. EL AL announced the allocation of a dedicated Boeing 777. The airplane will be customized to include the Vatican insignia.