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🇮🇱 Israel /Energy & Infrastructure

No flight cancellations expected at Ben-Gurion, Airports Authority chairman says

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Airports Authority Chairman Yiftach Ron-Tal stated that no flight cancellations are expected at Ben-Gurion Airport, despite security concerns.
  • His comments contradict warnings from the IAA CEO, who cited the volume of US Air Force refueling aircraft as a potential disruption.
  • An emergency meeting was held to address the issue, with decisions made to maintain airport operations.

Yiftach Ron-Tal, chairman of the Airports Authority (IAA), has asserted that Ben-Gurion Airport will not experience flight cancellations, even amid a sensitive strategic-security situation. Speaking to KAN News, Ron-Tal emphasized the commitment to keeping Israel's skies open, particularly during a crucial season for the public.

There will be no flight cancellations. We will do everything we can to keep the skies of the State of Israel open during a season that is so important to the Israeli public.

— Yiftach Ron-TalChairman of the Airports Authority, assuring the public about flight operations.

Ron-Tal's statements directly challenge earlier warnings from IAA CEO Sharon Kedmi. Kedmi had indicated that the influx of US Air Force refueling aircraft could strain Ben-Gurion's capacity, potentially leading to flight cancellations and delays if additional refueling planes were accommodated. She suggested that the airport could not handle more refueling aircraft without impacting scheduled commercial flights.

I will say more than that: every day that passes, we reach new highs this year. We have already reached 90,000 passengers per day, and everything is done in coordination with the security establishment.

— Yiftach Ron-TalHighlighting the airport's operational capacity and coordination with security.

An emergency meeting convened on Monday, involving Transportation Minister Miri Regev and senior officials from the Transportation Ministry and the IAA, aimed to resolve the operational concerns. Following the meeting, Ron-Tal expressed full agreement with the policy decisions made. The meeting reportedly concluded that the arrival of just seven additional USAF refuelers could lead to approximately 30 canceled flights daily, affecting around 5,000 passengers.

We are doing everything to avoid canceling flights. But we cannot allow even one more refueling plane into Ben-Gurion Airport. If it does, we will start canceling flights. The public needs to prepare for cancellations and delays.

— Sharon KedmiIAA CEO warning about potential flight disruptions due to US Air Force aircraft.

Despite these potential disruptions, Ron-Tal remains optimistic, noting that the airport has already achieved new passenger highs this year, with daily numbers reaching 90,000. He assured that all operations are coordinated with the security establishment, aiming to ensure continued functionality.

There is no intention to close the airspace of the State of Israel, even in the sensitive strategic-security situation in which we find ourselves.

— Yiftach Ron-TalReiterating the commitment to keeping Israeli airspace open.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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