A significant milestone has been reached in efforts to transform Haifa Airport into a busy and improved international gateway for residents of the north. The Israel Airports Authority has announced that Layam, a company owned by Teddy Sagi Group, has won a tender to set up and operate a new duty-free sales area within the airport, a development that will significantly enhance the flight experience for passengers flying out from Haifa.
The decision to establish the store came as a direct response to the airport’s return to routine international operations and the growing number of passengers. Layam is a veteran company in the duty-free stores sector, which operates similar stores at Ben Gurion Airport and Haifa and Ashdod seaports. Layam will begin construction work on the Haifa duty free area in the coming days. According to estimates, the official opening of the store to passengers will take place within a few weeks, and will provide an international-quality shopping experience.
Spread over hundreds of square meters, a shopping area will be built, offering passengers a wide range of duty-free products. On the shelves will be the best-known perfume and cosmetics brands, a rich selection of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and cigarettes, as well as electrical and electronics products. Another major advantage for passengers at Haifa airport will be the availability of the “Keep and Fly” service, which allows them to make purchases before takeoff and conveniently collect the products upon their return to Israel, without having to carry them with them during the trip. The agreement with Layam ensures activity for a period of up to four years, with the option of a further extension, which indicates a long-term commitment to developing the service at the airport.
The move to establish the duty-free store fits well with the renewal and growth of Haifa Airport, which is the third largest in Israel and was established by the British in 1934. In recent years, the Israel Airports Authority has invested major resources to upgrade the infrastructure of the airport, and it has resumed full operations, both on the domestic route to Eilat and on international flights.
The airport’s activity has been significantly strengthened by becoming the hub of the Air Haifa airline. This carrier currently operates direct flights to Larnaca in Cyprus and Athens in Greece. The airport also serves additional needs, such as helicopter flights to the offshore gas rigs and small-scale private and executive flights to international destinations.
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Layam was founded in 1936 and has two main activities: operating duty-free stores and supplying equipment and goods to ships in Israeli ports. Duty-free activities include duty-free stores at Ben Gurion airport, duty-free stores in Israeli ports, a duty-free store for diplomats in Tel Aviv, duty-free stores on passenger ships and supplying duty-free products to various entities such as airlines, United Nations forces and commercial bodies.
Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on June 4, 2025.
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