The incident occurred Monday night at Charles de Gaulle Airport shortly after an El Al flight took off. The controller made the remark over the radio to the pilots, who reported the unusual incident to the airline’s management.
El Al said in a statement after the incident that “El Al views the incident that occurred last night, in which a French air traffic controller addressed an El Al pilot in an unprofessional and inappropriate manner, with great severity. We are addressing the matter with the authorities in Israel, who are in contact with authorities in France. El Al will continue to fly around the world with the Israeli flag proudly displayed on its aircraft tails, while maintaining professionalism and ensuring the safety and security of passengers and crews.”
