Frenzy among New York's Jewish community as airline ticket glitz slashes flights to Israel below $400 and 5,000 take advantage

A three-hour glitch that drastically lowered round-trip airfare between New York and Israel on El Al Airlines created a run on tickets.

At least 5,000 tickets were purchased Monday after El Al posted fares for less than $400, down from an average of $1,600.

The New York Post ( http://nyp.st/NiuPsJ ) says news of the bargain fare quickly spread through New York's Orthodox Jewish communities after an online bargain fare site sent out an alert. Many purchased tickets for members of their large families.

El Al blames the glitch on a contractor responsible for posting fares. It says it will decide this week whether to honor the tickets.
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Information from: New York Post, http://www.nypost.com