More than 1.2 million passengers are expected to pass through Israel's Ben-Gurion airport during the month of April, according to an estimate by the Transportation Ministry. On the peak days of the Passover holiday, approximately 60,000 passengers are expected to pass through the airport each day on international flights.
The peak day for travel to and from Israel is expected to be on April 21, the eve of the holiday. However, despite a 33% increase in the number of travelers since March, the volume of passengers during the Passover holiday this year is still expected to be about 40% lower compared to the corresponding period last year.
2 View gallery
More than 1.2 million passengers are expected to pass through Ben-Gurion airport during the month of April,
(Photo: Yariv Katz)
The leading destinations for Passover 2024 are Greece and Cyprus, with approximately 60 aircraft taking off and landing per day and approximately 1,840 flights total during the month of April. Other leading destinations are the United Arab Emirates, the U.S. and Italy.
During April, British Airways, Iberia, KLM, Air Canada and other companies are expected to return to Israel. The Airports Authority has increased the array of workers in the field, and urges passengers to check in from home and arrive at the airport three hours before the flight.
Throughout the terminal there are kiosks for flight registration and the issuing of baggage tags for airlines that use them. The use of the kiosks allows travelers to send luggage quickly at the airlines' drop-off counters. Passengers without suitcases will be able to go through a quick security check in area W. The Airports Authority urges passengers to carefully check their carry-on luggage and make sure that there are no items in them that are prohibited for flying in carry-on bags.
Transportation Minister Miri Regev said that "even though the fighting in Gaza and the northern border still continues, the Transportation Ministry is advancing estimates for an increase in passenger traffic and the return of international airlines to and from Israel in air traffic. Together with the Airports Authority and the management of Israel National Airport, we encourage the return of the international airlines that have stopped their activity here since the beginning of the war. Our goal is to increase the supply of flights and destinations, thus creating competition that will lead to a reduction in ticket prices."
2 View gallery
Several airlines that stopped flying to Israel at the start of the war are expected to return next month
(Photo: Shutterstock.com / Roman Yanushevsky)
Last month, the taxi reform in the airport was launched when the company Gett (Get Taxi) won the tender to provide taxi services from Ben-Gurion Airport. Despite the hopes that the use of the Gett app and the digital reservation positions placed in the field would lead to efficiency and solve the taxi chaos at the airport that has been going on for many years, in reality it seems that the reform is failing.
Even now, with an average of about 30,000 passengers per day, many who wish to use the taxi service sometimes encounter long and protracted lines, due to the fact that the company apparently does not have enough taxis. As Ynet previously reported, the reason for this is that some of the taxi drivers who worked from the airport before the company entered the field refuse to sign contracts with it.
According to the drivers, the company requires them to sign restrictive clauses that deprive them of their rights, including an agreement in advance that they will not be able to sue Gett, and that the company will be able to make future changes to the contract without the need for their consent.
In addition, the drivers complain that those who sign with Gett have to register their personal details and those of their private customers. The drivers who refuse to join Gett and as a result will no longer be able to work at the airport explained that, in the contract, Get threatens the drivers with going to a disciplinary committee over passenger complaints and imposing financial fines.