I’ve experienced a lot of things in air travel over my decades, but I’m almost embarrassed to admit that I’ve never flown El Al.
I don’t need to fly El Al to Israel. Their food and service are notoriously bad. And plenty of other airlines fly there. Besides, getting El Al flight redemptions has long represented relatively poor value. El Al’s Matmid program is uniquely ungenerous and partner awards haven’t been great, either.
So there are some nuances of their security program that still come as a surprise to me. El Al doesn’t just have missile defense systems to protect its planes against surface-to-air missiles. They have cameras in the cabin now. Is this only on some aircraft?
Inconspicuous? Cabin cam on recent flight. pic.twitter.com/eMGvyMgyIK
— Addison Schonland (@aschonland) July 2, 2023
Airlines frequently have cameras on the exterior of the plane, and passengers are sometimes given the ability to view these through the airline’s inflight entertainment system.
Cameras a frequently placed outside of the cockpit door for security. JetBlue placed a camera that allowed flight atendants to view the business class cabin from the jumpseat during takeoff and landing. Inflight entertainment systems often come with built-in cameras standard, but generally aren’t activated.
Just found this interesting sensor looking at me from the seat back on board of Singapore Airlines. Any expert opinion of whether this a camera? Perhaps @SingaporeAir could clarify how it is used? pic.twitter.com/vy0usqruZG
— Vitaly Kamluk (@vkamluk) February 17, 2019
Emirates, for instance, does have cameras at the back of their cabins to give situational awareness to crew as-needed. They operate more Airbus A380s than anyone and these planes are huge.
After 9/11 surveillance cameras inside aircraft were considered as a standard practice inside cabins, but airline unions pushed back against this because they didn’t want their members being monitored on the job.
An award booking client once asked for a trip from New York to Israel for a family of four. They wanted to maximize their time away from work, departing on a Friday night and returning nine days later on Sunday.
Since I don’t believe in saying no, preferring “what I can do for you is…” I offered one-stop options on Lufthansa and on Turkish. They rejected it. They ‘wanted their trip to Israel to begin when they set foot on the plane.’ I explained that there were many things I could do with miles and points, but causing El Al to schedule flights on the Sabbath wasn’t one of them. I might have offered, if asked today, that they might or might not want to fly on an airline where they’re being watched. Would you?
This is a nothingburger. There are cameras in many buses and trains. And in many restaurants. Etc.
If someone wants to watch me sitting on a plane for hours, be my guest.
Newer aircraft have cameras that allow the cockpit to see what is happening in the passenger cabin.
It’s 2023. I just assume there are cameras everywhere I go in public. This includes my supermarket, Starbucks and every single intersection in my town.
Oy.
Next.
@David P That’s me. It’s safe to assume cameras are everywhere.
1984 came a bit late, but we are a lot closer to it in 2023 than would have been assumed to be the case immediately after the dissolution of the Soviet bloc and the Soviet Union
And it’s relatively wealthy democratic countries — both big and small — that are a no less into having a massive surveillance state capability than any authoritarian state of means.
FWIW, the powers of the surveillance state sometimes end up not being a power accessible to just the home country government. And so that which they have tends to get out at times — which is perhaps why there is a list of the real names matched to the handles of some sites’ moderators and members real names.
I have to wonder if they have cameras in the lavs, too…
Facial recognition.
License plate readers.
Computers matching everybody.
Drug testing.
Body scanners.
Orwell was an optimist.
It would be easier to compile a list of transportation vehicles and terminals in the world that don’t have security cameras than ones that do. Almost every bus and commuter train in the world now has security cameras, and every airport has at least as many eye in the sky security cameras as the average Las Vegas casino. Emirates has this on most of their planes and JetBlue has cameras on on all of their new A321LR’s. Cameras like this don’t focus on any one person but give a wide field of vision. It’s not spying in any sense of the word . . . you have no expectation of privacy in a public space like an airplane cabin, and this shouldn’t be controversial.
Aviation engages in an extraordinary amount of unnecessary security theater, but I would at least have to concede that security cameras in the cabin are at least rationally related to actual security concerns and would be a real help in a hijacking situation or to try and see one about to be launched.
“Smile, you’re on candid Camera,” as the old saying goes. (from an old American show). And everywhere you are.
Am I the only one that thinks the camera image looks photoshopped? Take a close look for a few moments.
I also don’t think ElAl would place such a visibly notable camera in the cabin…haha
Also – never ever seen that on an ElAl flight.
P.S – @Gary: their ff program is still complete garbage, but I do have to admit that their service and food has improved last few years. Still prefer to fly United, Turkish to Israel, but they have made some headway.
I have flown 30 times on ELAL- I have always found their service to be very good- better over the past 20 years than my first several flights but had NO BAD experiences. And actually after flying a couple of other airlines the past 2 years, the service on ELAL is much better- and I’m comparing business class for my last 7 flights- always thought the coach meals were fine- and better- I am a foodie and know good kosher food- – kosher on other airlines, which is what you need to compare, is not comparable- my meal a few months ago from TLV to NY was kosher and really awful-some parts almost inedible — when there was a problem with the TSA and someone took my passport 4 years ago , it was the ELAL staff who used their heads and were able to find my passport in the purse of someone on the plane!! They boarded me after the doors were closed, but My bags didn’t make it, but ELAL delivered them to me in a timely manner and kept me updated- Sorry Gary- don’t diss an experience you haven’t had-
I think have security cameras inside of planes is a great idea. So often we are hearing of obnoxious and threatening behavior to FA’s and other passengers, maybe this can easily identify the culprits. Plus knowing that you are being watched may discourage the cretins. Also a bonus identifying which FA’s are doing their jobs and which need to be, “motivated.” If their unions don’t like it-tough sh*t. Every airline employee working a company computer has their activity tracked.
Look, even if not common on commercial aircraft, El Al has, for good reason, more stringent security procedures than most airlines. Like it or hate it. Some may not want to fly LY because of it, and there are others that fly LY specifically because of it.
My opinion of LY is the following: by all means, fly them the first time you go to Israel, to get the experience, then fly someone else.
Feel no need to fly Air India to experience India the first time, nor PIA to experience Pakistan the first time, etc. And also feel no need to fly El Al to experience Israel the first time. Actually, given the questionable business practices of the Israeli-American controlling shareholders of El Al with their NY elderly care business, I would rather avoid the airline unless and until there is an extraordinarily good fare deal to fly LY.
Have flown ElAl many times. Notoriously GOOD food and good service. I pick them any time. Especially compared to certain middle eastern airlines with slave like contracted staff.
If you’ve never flown elal how would you know what their food and service is like!?!
Sounds a biased opinion possible anti-israel?
Their service and food is fabulous.
Time to try them.
@Simon – anti-Israel? I’m Jewish and broadly pro-Israel but ok
I fly El Al a ton. Their service and food is outstanding. Not sure where you got your info from.
I don’t think it’s a big deal to have cameras on aircraft after all it is for our security and with the ever growing cases of nutters on flights kicking off or idiots trying to open doors midflight these cameras will certainly come in handy for evidence
In reality everywhere we go there are cameras watching our every move on the streets on the train in taxis a restaurant a supermarket no big deal
I guess those who complain are those who like to jerk off under the blanket mid flight
Gary, I’m really surprised at you… especially because you are right about things so much of the time. frankly, I would prefer that El Al place MORE cameras inside their aircraft, rather than fewer. No other airline in the world is as targeted as El Al by terrorists. Perhaps if you read newspapers (other than about airline miles), you would know that.
Also, their food and service has greatly improved over the last several years. You shouldn’t be opining on things you really have no knowledge of. Shame on you, Gary Leff.
I have to disagree with you regarding ELAL and food and service. I flew last year Toronto to Tel Avis business class with my wife and regular from Tel Aviv to Athens..
I must say on Toronto to Tel Aviv and return on a 787 the service was excellent and food was outstanding. Was one of the best flights I have had and great improvement in plane, food and service. Unfortunately that have stopped flying from Canada.
If it’s a space I expect to be seen I don’t give a hoot if there’s a security camera pointed at it. Don’t point cameras where observers are not to be expected.
It’s not like anyone is invading all the privacy no one has any of on an airplane in the first place, right?
Your name is already on the manifest. No one is checking if you spend your flight sleeping, reading, or watching the IFE.
What is the point if the camera is only for the sake of the security situation, but when there is theft of luggage from some passengers, as this happened to me on the last flight from Riyadh to Athens, an amount of money was stolen from my shoulder bag when I went to the bathroom, and I discovered that and informed the authorities, and they did nothing. ..
El Al food isn’t as bad as you made it out to be. I’ve had much worse from other carriers..
As for their security, the best in the world. I worked along side of their people in MIA and TLV
It’s the stewardesses from the 70’s and 80’s that gave them a bad rap. But hell dealing with Israelis especially for another Israeli makes for a cranky crew. Especially when they are first time flyers..
Tower air aka the Yom Kippur Clipper was even worse for food.. but right up there with El Al on security
People who are against cameras inside an airplane probably didn’t have a family member or friend die on 9/11. Everywhere we go now, there are cameras all around, and we are constantly being watched for our safety, which is a good thing. Why not have them on airplanes for everyone security? The thought of going into an airplane that has no cameras, where no one could see could be going on inside a plane that could get hijacked once the door is shut is very scary. I believe that it is crucial for all airplanes to have cameras inside, and I would not travel in an airplane that doesn’t.