In a wide-ranging interview with APEX CEO Dr. Joe Leader at the 2025 APEX Global Expo, EL AL CEO Dina Ben Tal Ganancia highlighted the airline’s resilience, focus on inclusivity and innovation, and its global partnerships.

Balancing Security and Hospitality

EL AL is recognized globally for its rigorous security standards, a reputation that sometimes leads to questions about whether security comes at the expense of hospitality. For Ganancia, the two are not in conflict.

“Safety and security are the most important priorities. But people also want to feel warmth and care,” she said. “Our crews are not just service providers. They are sometimes therapists, shoulders to lean on. Feeling safe, trusted, and secure is part of the experience. It does not replace the smile or the service.”

Her vision redefines security as part of the passenger experience rather than an obstacle to it, blending protection with hospitality in a way that has strengthened EL AL’s brand. That approach has helped the airline earn an APEX Five Star rating for the fifth consecutive year, reaffirming its place among the world’s top carriers. In fact, “EL AL is now in the top 25 of the top 50 carriers,” Dr. Leader shared. 

Despite record-high load factors in recent years, Ganancia emphasized that EL AL will not compromise on service. “Our airplanes are packed, but we work every day to protect the quality of the experience,” she said. The challenge, she noted, is that demand often exceeds capacity. 

What sets EL AL apart, she explained, is accessibility: passengers know they can reach the airline directly, sometimes with more than 6,000 calls during a normal day. “We listen, we respond, and we find solutions,” she said. “That trust and accessibility are what bring us back to this stage year after year. Customers know we will do whatever it takes, anywhere in the world, to help them.”

Innovation, Modernization, and the Human Touch

Like many carriers, EL AL accelerated its digital transformation after the pandemic. The airline has doubled its digital customers since 2020, with more than 40 percent now booking through its website and app. But Ganancia believes technology must serve the human experience, not replace it. “We need to find the right balance between the human touch and technology,” she explained. 

“There is still a long way to go with technology,” she acknowledged. “But even with AI and automation, passengers still want to hear your voice telling them everything will be okay. People still want the smile, the reassurance, the voice that tells them, ‘Welcome aboard.’ That will never go away.”

At the same time, EL AL has pushed ahead with ambitious fleet and ground investments, finding creative ways to overcome global supply chain delays. One of its most significant projects was the refurbishment of its Boeing 777 fleet, which transformed cabins to mirror the Dreamliner experience.

“We took everything out and rebuilt them,” Ganancia explained. “Passengers cannot even tell they are not on a Dreamliner. That is how much we invested.”

The airline also prioritized improvements on the ground, from redesigned lounges to streamlined airport services. “When passengers fill out surveys, they don’t separate the airport from the flight,” she said. “We need to make both seamless. That is why ground experience is now a major focus.”

Strategic Partnerships and Lessons in Recovery

Over the past few years, EL AL has forged deep partnerships with leading global airlines. A chance meeting at a conference four years ago sparked what she described as a great relationship between EL AL and Delta Air Lines.

“We didn’t have any relationship with Delta,” she recalled. “I met Perry [Cantarutti, President Emeritus of APEX and Senior Vice President of Alliances and International at Delta Air Lines] at an event, and I told him I would come to Atlanta. He didn’t believe me, but I came with my team, and we met with Glenn Hauenstein and his leadership. Step by step, we built trust. Now we are proud partners.”

The alliance has expanded EL AL’s network and deepened its integration into SkyTeam through relationships with Virgin Atlantic, Air France–KLM, and Aeromexico.

“If you look at the APEX scores, our crews always receive the highest ratings.”

From Delta, Ganancia said she learned the importance of doubling down on a carrier’s “X factor.” For EL AL, that advantage is its people. “If you look at the APEX scores, our crews always receive the highest ratings,” she said. “That is where we truly make the difference.”

Reflecting on her time as CEO since she will be stepping down at the end of the year, Ganancia said taking on the role during the pandemic and rebuilding the company was a massive challenge that shaped her leadership philosophy. The pandemic nearly brought EL AL to collapse, but she saw it as an opportunity to rebuild trust with employees and unions.

“After such an impactful crisis, there was an opportunity to build trust with EL AL employees,” she said. “It is like a relationship. You have to keep investing, keep showing trust. If you invest in your employees, they will serve your guests better. Customers feel that difference.”