Ben Gurion control tower
Photo: Gilad Kavalerchik
Safety measures at Ben Gurion to be tightened
Air traffic controllers decide to space out departures in order to prevent any chance for a mid-air collision
Following recurring safety incidents at the Ben Gurion Airport, air traffic controllers decided to space out the departures in protest of the criticism leveled at them over the issue.
In recent months three investigations have been launched into safety problems at the airport. The probes found that the air traffic controllers were partly to blame for the problems. The controllers, in turn, claimed that the absence of "elementary working conditions," namely the outdated equipment at the control tower and the lack of runways, were the cause for the shortcomings.
Following a meeting Sunday evening, the controllers decided to increase the gap between each departure, from one minute to five.
Chairman of the Israeli Aviation Authority's workers union, Pinchas Idan, said, "We are making this effort for the benefit of the passengers, the pilots and the planes, in order to prevent any likelihood for a crash.
"The air traffic controllers will continue with this line of action until changes are implemented in the airport's airspace, a new control tower is built, works on the main runway are completed and proper equipment is placed at the airport's problematic runways," he added.
