Ryanair suspended its flights to and from Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport, just weeks after resuming them.
The low-cost airline had originally suspended flights to the airport following the conflict between Israel and Hamas late last year, but daily services resumed in early February.
Ryanair had previously used Terminal 1 at Ben Gurion International, but as this remains closed, the airline was forced to use what it says is “the more expensive Terminal 3”.
The airline said it requested that the airport “apply agreed Terminal 1 passenger charges to Ryanair flights temporarily until Terminal 1 reopened, but Ben Gurion International Airport rejected this request and insisted that Ryanair operate at through Terminal 3, more expensive.”
Ryanair said the change had “resulted in significantly higher costs and would have resulted in much higher airfares for Ryanair passengers traveling to/from Tel Aviv.”
As a result, it has once again suspended its routes to Tel Aviv, which include services from Milan Bergamo, Bucharest Otopeni, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, Marseille, Memmingen, Poznan and Vienna.
Ryanair said flights would remain suspended “until Ben Gurion International Airport reopens its low-cost Terminal 1”, and has written to the airport seeking confirmation on when this could happen.
Commenting on the news, Ryanair DAC CEO Eddie Wilson said:
“We worked hard with the Israeli government and Ben Gurion International Airport to restore Ryanair low-fare flights to/from Tel Aviv on February 1. We are deeply disappointed by Ben Gurion International Airport's refusal to reopen the low-cost Terminal 1 where Ryanair normally operates.
“We don't mind if the airport forces us to move Ryanair flights through Terminal 3 on a provisional basis due to the large decrease in traffic to/from Tel Aviv, but this should be done according to the agreed prices for Terminal 1, not for Terminal 3. prices.
“Ryanair wants to support Ben Gurion International Airport and the recovery of air travel to/from Israel, but we cannot do so, nor ask our passengers to pay higher airfares while Ben Gurion International Airport keeps Terminal 1 closed for low cost and forces our flights to the expensive Terminal 3, charging fees that Ryanair never agreed to.
“We again ask Ben Gurion International Airport to confirm a date when the lower-cost Terminal 1 facility will reopen, allowing Ryanair to resume selling the low-fare flights to/from Tel Aviv that they have done so much to grow air travel and tourism. for Israel.”
ryanair.com
