About a week and a half after tightening restrictions, and following recent security assessments, the Transportation Ministry has decided to ease flight limitations at Ben Gurion Airport.
Starting this Sunday, the passenger quota on outgoing flights will increase from 50 to 70 passengers. In addition, airlines will be allowed to board up to 20 more passengers in humanitarian cases, bringing the total cap to as many as 90 passengers per departing flight.
About a week and a half ago, Transportation Minister Miri Regev ordered a significant tightening of the flight framework at Ben Gurion Airport. At the time, the passenger quota on outgoing flights was reduced from 120 to about 50, and air traffic was also limited to one departing flight per hour alongside one arriving flight. That decision followed recommendations from security officials, including after an unusual incident in which interceptor debris fell within the airport grounds and damaged several aircraft. Officials stressed that the restrictions were intended to ensure safer access for passengers to protected spaces during emergencies.
Earlier, there had been a trend toward easing restrictions, with higher passenger quotas and approval to operate wide-body aircraft on certain routes. However, security developments prompted a reversal and renewed tightening of measures.
Now, as noted, policy is shifting again, this time toward a partial easing of those restrictions.