Israel Airports Authority announced on Wednesday that Terminal 1 at Ben Gurion Airport will reopen as part of preparations for the expected increase in passenger traffic during the coming summer months. Service at the terminal will resume gradually: domestic flights will return on June 28, and international flights on July 1.
The authority urged passengers to check in advance which terminal their flight leaves from in order to arrive on time, and to follow updates from airlines and the authority's official information channels.
The reopening comes as the withdrawal of dozens of US military refueling aircraft from Israeli airports is under way. On Tuesday, six aircraft departed Ben Gurion for Ramon Airbase, and the planes that had been stationed at Ramon have already left Israel. According to the plan, about 20 more aircraft are expected to leave by Sunday. The US military said the refueling planes could return to the region if needed.
The move follows the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran and more optimistic security assessments, and it has reduced the projected number of flight cancellations. The Airports Authority now estimates about 100,000 tickets will be canceled, down from last week's estimate of about 400,000 in July alone. Last week, the authority warned that continued parking of US aircraft at Ben Gurion could worsen congestion, disrupt regular operations, and potentially lead to 2.2 million ticket cancellations between July and October. Officials said the airport is operating under heavy strain and that any loss of parking stands or operational capacity could affect airlines and passengers, while the Israeli aviation sector continues to face major challenges since the fighting began.
