Following a government meeting held earlier in Kiryat Shmona, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Transportation Minister Miri Regev announced that they have approved a "dedicated plan" to operate the city's airstrip, "after more than 20 years during which it has not been used for commercial flights." According to the announcement, "The initiative includes promoting an adapted flight service for northern residents to central and southern Israel, as well as providing regulatory approval for operating the airstrip in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Aviation Authority."