Ben-Gurion Airport returned to full aviation activity on Sunday morning after a temporary closure at 5:19 a.m., the Israel Airport Authority (IAA) announced. The airport is once again open for departures and arrivals, with operations stabilizing throughout the day.
The IAA estimated that approximately 50,000 passengers were expected to pass through Ben-Gurion on Sunday. Over 300 international flights were scheduled to arrive and depart, though the IAA advised passengers to check updated flight schedules due to possible changes by foreign airlines.
A special meeting was held at the airport to discuss the situation, chaired by Transportation Minister Miri Regev and Transportation Ministry Director General Moshe Ben Zaken. According to a report by The Jerusalem Post, the discussion centered on the impact of the airport’s closure and the broader effects on Israel’s aviation sector.
Minister Regev praised the swift rerouting of flights to Ramon Airport in Eilat and other airports during the closure, as well as the rapid implementation of transportation solutions for affected passengers.
By Sunday morning, flights from Tel Aviv operated by El Al began departing just before 10 a.m. The airline announced that planes that had been diverted to Ramon Airport during the disruption had already taken off for Ben-Gurion and were expected to land shortly. El Al emphasized that it continues to adhere to aviation authority directives and security guidelines to ensure safe travel.
“All El Al flights that were diverted to Ramon Airport in Eilat took off towards Ben-Gurion Airport and are expected to land shortly,” the airline stated at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday.
Similarly, Israeli airline Arkia confirmed that with the reopening of Ben-Gurion, their flight schedule was gradually returning to normal. “There may be updates on departure times in the coming hours, and passengers will be informed. Ongoing updates are available on the company’s website,” Arkia said in a statement.
Despite the IAA’s confirmation of resumed operations, some airlines continued to experience disruptions. Israir Airlines, a low-cost Israeli carrier, reported that flights were still being impacted by the security situation. According to a report by Ynet, the company attributed some of the disruptions to foreign crew members’ concerns about flying to Israel.
“We are in contact with foreign airlines to return to normal operations quickly and are making every effort to find solutions for passengers whose flights have been delayed,” Israir said.
