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🇮🇱 Israel /Energy & Infrastructure

US military planes harming Israeli commercial activity, airports chief says

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The head of Israel's Airports Authority stated that U.S. military planes are significantly limiting activity at Ben-Gurion Airport.
  • Approximately 70% of the airport's capacity is unusable, threatening summer flight cancellations and impacting foreign carriers.
  • The authority has lost 700 million shekels ($248 million) in the past two months due to the situation, with potential losses reaching billions if it continues.

Ben-Gurion International Airport, Israel's primary air hub, is operating at only one-third of its capacity due to the presence of U.S. refueling aircraft, potentially leading to widespread flight cancellations this summer. Sharon Kedmi, director general of the Israel Airports Authority, informed KAN's Reshet Bet radio station that 70% of the airport's activity is restricted because U.S. military operations are consuming space and resources.

"We are only utilizing one-third of the airport's operational capacity," Kedmi stated. "We are at the limit of our capabilities. There will be flights that we will announce in the coming days that are being canceled." He added that foreign carriers might not return soon, and up to 3 million passengers could face canceled flights. Dozens of U.S. tanker planes are currently stationed at Ben-Gurion.

We are only utilizing one-third of the airport's operational capacity. We are at the limit of our capabilities. There will be flights that we will announce in the coming days that are being canceled.

— Sharon KedmiDescribing the reduced operational capacity at Ben-Gurion Airport due to U.S. military presence.

The financial impact is substantial, with the authority having lost 700 million shekels (approximately $248 million) over the last two months. Kedmi warned that these losses could escalate into billions if the situation persists. Projections for passenger traffic have been revised down from 18 million to an estimated 15 million for the year.

Kedmi expressed uncertainty about when the U.S. military activities will conclude, describing the situation as "a constant state of flux." Earlier in May, Israeli media reported that Shmuel Zakay, head of the Civil Aviation Authority, had informed Israel's Transportation Minister that U.S. military aircraft at Ben-Gurion were crippling civilian flights, delaying the return of foreign airlines, and increasing airfares. Zakay reportedly stated that Ben-Gurion had transformed into a military airfield with limited civilian operations, harming local carriers.

We have no information when the US military's activities at the airport will end. We are in a constant state of flux

— Sharon KedmiExpressing uncertainty about the duration of the U.S. military's operations at the airport.
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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