Israel Airports Authority (IAA) has announced that Terminal 1 at Ben Gurion airport will close this Friday until the end of March 2025. All international flights will use Terminal 3 throughout the winter although domestic flights to Eilat will continue to use Terminal 1.
The closure comes after the three major foreign low-cost carriers flying to Israel have announced Israel flight cancellations for extended periods. Wizz Air has canceled all flights to Israel until January 2025, and both Ryanair and easyJet until March 2025.
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According to the IAA the number of passengers passing through Terminal 1 has sunk to a low of 20,000 per day and this number does not justify keeping the terminal open for international flights.
Following the outbreak of the war in October 2023, Terminal 1 was closed for both international and domestic flights due to the sharp fall in the number of passengers using it and the need for beefed up security, as all flights were switched to Terminal 3.
The foreign low-cost airlines gradually resumed flights and Ryanair made headlines by renewing flights in February and then halting them again in March, protesting the much higher airport tax at Terminal 3, as Terminal 1 remained closed.
The difference in taxes paid at Terminals 1 and 3 stems from the services provided by the IAA. The duty free stores in Terminal 1 are far more limited and the passenger hall is much smaller leading to lower operating costs.
After Terminal 1 reopened in June, Ryanair resumed flights to Israel. With Terminal 1 again closed, low-cost carriers will be deterred from returning to Israel if and when the security situation becomes more stable.
Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on October 28, 2024.
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2024.
