Israel's Ben Gurion airport to reopen for some flights Thur: TV

Israel's Ben Gurion airport to reopen for some flights Thur: TV

Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport to Resume Limited Flights as Airspace Reopening Plan Advances

Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, the country’s primary international gateway, is expected to reopen for limited civilian flights as early as Thursday, March 6, 2026, following a phased security-approved plan to repatriate stranded Israelis. The airport has remained closed since the start of hostilities with Iran on Saturday, March 1, which triggered widespread regional airspace closures and left over 150,000 Israelis stranded abroad.

Under the proposed rescue operation, authorities aim to deploy up to two full flights per hour, operating 24/7, with a preference for wide-body aircraft to expedite returns. Each flight will allocate 10% of seats to passengers with humanitarian needs. This approach contrasts with the 2025 Operation Rising Lion, which permitted only one flight per hour at half capacity. The plan requires final security clearance but reflects a prioritization of rapid repatriation amid heightened regional tensions.

In parallel, repatriation efforts are leveraging alternative routes via Egypt’s Taba and Sharm el-Sheikh airports. Airlines such as Arkia, Israir, and TUS Airways are operating "dry lease" flights—using foreign aircraft and crews—to transport passengers to these hubs. Passengers arriving in Taba or Sharm el-Sheikh must then navigate overland border crossings to Israel, a process complicated by Israel’s high-level travel warnings for the Sinai Peninsula. Discussions are ongoing with Egyptian authorities to approve "wet leases," which would allow Israeli crews to operate their own aircraft, potentially increasing capacity.

Major Israeli carriers, including El Al, have suspended ticket sales until March 21 to prioritize rebooking stranded passengers once airspace reopens. El Al plans to operate rescue flights from over 20 international gateways, including New York, London, and Bangkok, while smaller airlines like Arkia and Israir are focusing on European routes. Meanwhile, European carriers such as Wizz Air are expanding services to Sharm el-Sheikh to accommodate disrupted travel.

The crisis has disrupted regional and global aviation, with over 3,000 flights canceled at Gulf airports and the EU Aviation Safety Agency advising flights to avoid the region. As Israel’s airspace reopens, the financial burden of repatriation operations, including leasing aircraft and managing operational delays, will weigh on airlines and passengers alike. The scale of the rescue effort underscores the broader economic and logistical challenges posed by the ongoing regional instability.

(https://www.ynetnews.com/travel/article/bkmckovywx): Ynetnews, March 2, 2026
(https://www.timesofisrael.com/el-al-readies-rescue-flights-as-israel-set-to-gradually-reopen-airspace-next-week/): Times of Israel, March 2, 2026
(https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/israels-main-airport-reopen-monday-130914417.html): Yahoo News, March 2, 2026