El Al Israel Airlines has called on authorities to open Ramon Airport near the Red Sea city of Eilat as an alternative to Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion Airport on Monday morning.
“El Al calls for the opening of the Ramon Airport as a supplemental alternative to Ben Gurion Airport, in order to preserve the flight activity and allow a response to the passenger public,” it said.
El Al said it is reviewing the operational and safety implications following the Ministry of Transport’s announcement of a significant reduction in departing passengers and take-offs and landings.
El Al added that it will continue to operate as needed within the new limitations. “As always, El Al will do whatever is necessary considering the limitations, to be the air bridge for Israelis in the country and in the world,” the statement said.
Number of passengers on departing flights drops to 50
The number of passengers on departing flights from Ben-Gurion Airport is expected to drop to 50 passengers per flight starting Monday morning, N12 reported on Sunday evening.
The number of flights will also be reduced, returning to the one landing and one takeoff per hour rate of the first day the airspace reopened, according to the report.
Transportation Minister Miri Regev made the decision based on the recommendation of security officials that, although until now, 120 to 150 passengers were allowed on a departing flight, as of Monday morning, only 50 passengers should be allowed. Incoming flights will be operating unchanged, with normal passenger capacity.
Airlines are currently deciding how to determine which passengers will board flights tomorrow, N12 wrote.
One passenger scheduled to take off tomorrow is the prime minister’s wife, Sara Netanyahu, who is scheduled to attend the First Ladies of the World conference in Washington.
Flights cancelations rise
El Al announced on Wednesday that it had cancelled flights to dozens of destinations through March 27, cancelling 25,000 flight tickets in the week before Pesach.
The airline added that at this stage, due to restrictions, customers whose flights were canceled will not be able to reschedule. El Al is offering a choice between a full refund and a credit voucher for use on other El Al flights.
Israir announced the cancellation of the pre-war flight schedule through March 31, due to the security situation and existing restrictions in the airspace.
Additionally, sales for the original flight schedule will be closed through April 30.
Israir assured that it will make “every effort” to reassign some passengers whose flights were canceled onto operating flights.
Those who are unable to be reassigned or who opt not to accept an alternative assignment will be able to choose between a credit voucher worth 130% of the booking cost and a full refund.
