Israir and Arkia will no longer be able to use their ATR airplanes within two years because the aircraft are incompatible with missile defense systems, Yedioth Ahronoth reported.
The Transportation Ministry's order means that the airlines will have to get rid of five planes between the two of them. The aircraft are used for the bulk of the companies' service between Tel Aviv's Sde Dov Airport and Eilat .
Within two years, missile defense systems are to be installed on each plane used by Israeli airlines.
The development was not well received at Israir ,which only a year ago bought two brand new ATR planes for roughly $34 million. This purchase, as well the acquisition of two airbus planes, made Israir the company with the newest fleet in the country.
"This means that we will have to sell them at a loss, and remain with the two Airbus planes, which mostly operate internationally," a senior Israir official said. "Essentially we won't be able to maintain the same level of service to Eilat."
According to the official, Arkia is facing a similar problem and will have to cut its flights to the southern resort city as well.