In 2023, Debby Communications was selected to lead the communications support for the establishment and launch of Air Haifa, a new Israeli airline born out of a vision to connect the north—via Haifa International Airport—to Eilat and key destinations across the Mediterranean basin. With the outbreak of the “Swords of Iron” war in 2024, the communications support became especially complex and sensitive. The office supported the company from the earliest stages of its establishment and was required to build a new, credible airline brand within a challenging security reality and ongoing uncertainty, while managing a precise, responsible, and continuous public and media discourse.
The original plan to launch Air Haifa in summer 2024 included a celebratory event at Haifa Airport to welcome the first aircraft, attended by senior government officials, business leaders, and journalists. The deterioration of the security situation in the north and the disaster in Majdal Shams led to the cancellation of the event and an immediate shift in communications strategy. Instead of a launch event, a phased launch campaign was built, based on in-depth interviews and profile pieces with the company’s leadership, presenting the vision, plans, and long-term commitment to developing aviation in the north. This effort generated significant exposure in leading media outlets already in the early stages of the company’s activity.
In September 2024, upon receiving its operating license and as fighting expanded to the Haifa and Krayot area, the company was forced to make a complex strategic decision and begin operations from Ben Gurion Airport (TLV), contrary to its original vision. Within a short time, a new communications strategy was developed, emphasizing Air Haifa’s operational flexibility and commitment to continue serving the Israeli public even during an emergency-while clearly stating this was only a temporary solution. Against the backdrop of flight cancellations by international airlines, Air Haifa was positioned as an Israeli airline operating דווקא during a period of instability, and the public response was immediate, with the sale of thousands of tickets within a few short weeks.
In December 2024, Air Haifa was officially launched in a festive ceremony held at Haifa International Airport, attended by the Minister of Transport and Road Safety, Brig. Gen. (res.) Miri Regev, Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav, Israel Airports Authority CEO Sharon Kedmi, and Civil Aviation Authority Director General Shmuel Zakai. Since the launch, the company has managed all of its operations from Haifa Airport, in line with the original vision. Initially, the company operated flights to Eilat and Larnaca, and gradually expanded its destination network to additional Mediterranean destinations, including Paphos, Rhodes, Athens, and Sofia. In parallel, we provided communications support for the expansion of the company’s fleet-an effort that reinforced the perception of stability and momentum for Air Haifa as a young but growing airline.
The year 2025 marked a transition from launch to sustained communications and brand-building. The company’s activity received broad, high-quality coverage, including a second cover story in Yedioth Ahronoth’s “Mamon” supplement marking the first year of operations, a central feature on the “Tochnit Chisachon” program with Menachem and Tchia Horowitz, and participation in Calcalist’s Haifa Conference and additional professional conferences led by Miki Strasburger, co-founder—positioning Air Haifa’s leadership as a relevant and influential voice in Israel’s economic and transportation discourse. In parallel, during Operation “Am KeLavi,” Air Haifa played a significant role in rescue flights and the return of thousands of Israelis home. This required rapid, sensitive, and precise communications management, emphasizing national responsibility, professional execution, and humanity—significantly strengthening the company’s public standing as an aviation player committed to the country and its citizens.
Testimony to the strength of the brand and the broad public interest was reflected in Google’s annual summary, Year in Search 2025, which presents the most trending search terms in Israel - where Air Haifa ranked sixth on the list of searches.
Air Haifa’s communications support reflected an ongoing effort to build a new airline brand under rolling uncertainty. The combination of managing a complex launch, navigating security-related crises, returning to full operations from Haifa, expanding the fleet and destinations, and achieving major communications milestones across Israel’s leading media outlets contributed to building public trust and a consistent, high-impact media presence. Within a short period of time, Air Haifa succeeded in establishing itself as a stable, credible, and committed Israeli airline, working to advance civil aviation in Israel in general, and in the north of the country in particular.
