Last week, a heavy rocket barrage was fired toward central Israel just as an Arkia Israeli Airlines plane was about to land at Ben Gurion Airport. In a viral video documenting the dramatic landing, the plane can be seen approaching the runway, while in the background rockets and Iron Dome intercepting missiles illuminate the sky. In an interview with Ynet, pilot Eyal Birk recounted the stressful moments before landing.
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"As far as we were concerned, it was just another routine flight from Eilat to Tel Aviv," Birk said. "We were in the final stage of landing, facing south, and in the distance we saw what looked like very dim rocket launches. We estimated it was something in the southern area of Israel. In retrospect, it turned out the rockets were headed toward the central region."
“We discussed this in the cockpit, but we didn't believe it would affect us in any way. On the same day, there had already been two launches toward central Israel. We proceeded with the landing as usual, and about 15 seconds before landing, we realized it was a heavy barrage toward Tel Aviv. We started seeing Iron Dome interceptions around us and, given the situation and our circumstances, we decided to continue the landing,” he explained.
"We are, unfortunately, accustomed to this type of situation for several years. There are clear procedures in place for such incidents. The airport is relatively protected, and our role as pilots is to decide what to do when problems arise. At this stage, I estimated it would be more appropriate to land. We were already in the final stages of landing, and the interceptions weren’t directly above us, so we continued with the landing," Birk said.
How close were the interceptions to your aircraft?
"I couldn’t say for certain, and I also don’t want to get into that. It looked very dramatic, but it was less so than what it looked like; at no point did it pose a danger to the plane."
"Passengers saw it too, it's impossible to miss; they saw both the rockets and the interceptors themselves. I assume these were uncomfortable moments for them. After landing, we stopped on the runway and waited for about 10 minutes while they searched the airport to ensure there were no debris or residues. During this time, I gave a brief announcement to the passengers, and reassured them."
"Being on a plane in such a scenario is less stressful than being on the ground; you don't hear the sirens and explosions, but you do see them. It can be dramatic or anxious for those not accustomed to flying, since at night it's challenging to estimate these distances."
Can passengers do anything should another such incident take place in Ben Gurion Airport?
"Ben Gurion Airport is prepared for that; it’s well-protected. Personally, if there is a rocket interception in central Israel, I feel safer being at Ben Gurion Airport. There are airport and airline protocols; We, the pilots and crew members, are trained and go through drills for such incidents, and I feel safe."
How did people react?
"When I arrived at the gate and disembarked, I turned on my phone and received hundreds of messages from friends and colleagues, including my American pilot friends who called me asking how I agreed to fly in such conditions."
“I tried to reassure them and explain the situation. There's nothing to be done; we’re not operating according to routine. It’s crucial for us in Arkia and in the Israeli aviation industry to maintain Israel’s airspace while minimizing risks as much as possible."