Challenge Handling

Additional Details

Challenge Airlines IL, formerly known as CAL Cargo Airlines Ltd., is an Israeli cargo airline headquartered in Shoham, Israel. CAL was established in June 1976 and began charter operations in November of that year. Originally, the airline leased aircraft from El Al as required. However, on December 1, 1999, it began operating scheduled services using its own aircraft following the receipt of official Israeli government licenses. In 1997, CAL purchased the Liège Airport Cargo Handling Services (LACHS) cargo terminal in Belgium. In 2010, the airline was privately acquired by Offer Gilboa, who expanded flight operations to include daily flights connecting Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. As part of a broader corporate integration, the company officially rebranded as Challenge Airlines IL in 2022. Its Malta-based sister company, Challenge Airlines MT, received its AOC in 2022 and took delivery of its first Boeing 767-300F the following year. The current fleet primarily consists of Boeing 747 and 767 freighters across the group. The broader airline group operates under three distinct Air Operator Certificates (AOCs): Challenge Airlines BE (Belgium) Challenge Airlines IL (Israel) Challenge Airlines MT (Malta). The airline is frequently utilized for strategic cargo transport, including the logistical movement of military equipment and ammunition from U.S. military bases to Israel. The Israeli military has previously released footage detailing the unloading of supply cargo from the company's aircraft upon arrival.