An El Al plane. Photo: Aktug Ates via Wikimedia Commons.

El Al Israel Airlines said on Tuesday it will operate direct flights from Tel Aviv to Melbourne on a trial basis in April and May in what would be the longest flight ever for Israel’s aviation industry.

The three trial flights in each direction, before and after the Passover holiday, will use Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Duration on the Melbourne-bound flight is expected to be 16 hours and 15 minutes, while the return flight to Ben-Gurion International Airport is expected to take 17 hours and 45 minutes.

“Operating this route will be subject to approval of governmental parties, including civil aviation authorities,” Vice President for Commercial and Industry Affairs Michael Strassburger said. “The airline will decide on regular operations in the coming months.”

Such a route would substantially shorten the trip to Australia and deepen tourism and business and political ties between the two countries, he added.