Israel cuts passenger traffic at Ben Gurion airport

In discussions by Israeli transport officials last night it was decided to cut the number of passengers allowed on outbound flights from Ben Gurion airport due to increased missile fire from Iran.

While incoming flights will continue to land at Ben Gurion airport full, the number of passengers allowed on outbound flights will be cut from 150 to just 50. The new restrictions will come into effect at 5pm today.

Under the current plan, activity at Ben Gurion Airport is limited to up to two landings per hour for narrow-body aircraft or one landing per hour for wide-body aircraft.

The difference between landings and takeoffs is due to the longer time it takes for security screening for departing passengers – a longer and more complex process than for arriving passengers. This extends the exposure time of aircraft and passengers at the airport, which is an attractive target for enemy missiles, and therefore leads to stricter restrictions on takeoffs.

During discussions, Minister of Transport Miri Regev has been pushing for the continuation of as broad an activity as possible and maintaining an aviation routine. However, when there is overwhelming opposition from professional bodies and officials, the Minister of Transport is required to respect their recommendations and order a reduction in activity.

Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on March 23, 2026.

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