Concern over a possible escalation with Iran has once again raised the question occupying thousands of Israeli travelers: Is activity at Ben Gurion Airport expected to be affected in the coming days?
Transportation Minister Miri Regev is currently holding a situation assessment with professional officials, after which a decision will be made. Contrary to reports, as of now there is no closure of Israeli airspace.
According to information obtained by Israel Hayom, there has so far been no change in preparations at Ben Gurion Airport, and there is no specific assessment indicating that the airport is expected to close. Aviation industry officials stress that the situation remains the same as it has been since the start of the war, with all relevant authorities continuing to monitor developments and prepare accordingly.
However, the same officials note that it is still too early to determine how events will unfold and what the implications of any possible military response may be. They said only once the security picture becomes clearer will it be possible to assess whether there are expected to be significant effects on civilian aviation.
At this stage, the assessment is that even in the event of launches toward central Israel, this would not necessarily mean a prolonged closure of Ben Gurion Airport. The more likely scenario is a temporary halt to takeoffs and landings during alerts or sirens, followed by a return to operations a short time later, in accordance with instructions from security officials.
Sources note that throughout the months of the war, Ben Gurion Airport has had to contend with quite a few security incidents, but in most cases operations resumed within a short time, with targeted adjustments and while maintaining operational continuity as much as possible.
As of now, flights are continuing to operate as scheduled, and no unusual instructions have been issued to passengers or airlines. At the same time, industry officials stress that this is a dynamic situation that could change quickly depending on developments on the ground.
