Transportation Minister Miri Regev announced that Terminal 1 at Ben Gurion Airport is expected to return to operation within about two weeks, and by July 1 at the latest. The move comes as part of preparations for the expected busy summer season at the airport, during a period when the number of flights and passengers is on the rise.
The opening of the terminal is made possible, among other things, following the move to evacuate aircraft currently parked at Ben Gurion Airport, including American aircraft that occupied some of the parking spaces adjacent to the terminal. Some of these aircraft are expected to begin vacating as early as this Sunday, as part of a broad plan designed to increase the airport’s capacity and prepare for the high demand of the summer months.
The aviation industry estimates that the return of Terminal 1 to operations could be significant news for both airlines and passengers. The opening of the terminal will allow for greater operational flexibility, and may encourage foreign airlines to expand operations and even return to full operations in Israel.
In addition, low-cost airlines operating at Ben Gurion Airport, including Wizz Air, may move from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1, a move that will free up additional capacity in the central terminal and help distribute the load between the terminals, and bring large low-cost airlines back to Israel, including Ryanair and EasyJet, part of whose ticket discounts are based on flying from Terminal 1 with lower taxes than Terminal 3.