The director-general of the Israel Airports Authority wrote in a letter Tuesday that Transportation Minister Miri Regev does not approve additional US refueling aircraft landing at Ben Gurion Airport, warning of immediate and severe operational consequences. According to a report by Din Fisher (N12), the IAA estimates that 50,000 passenger tickets through the end of July are at risk of cancellation.
The Israel Airports Authority (IAA) director-general warned Tuesday that Transportation Minister Miri Regev has refused to allow additional US refueling aircraft to land at Ben Gurion Airport, warning of 'immediate and severe' operational consequences. In a letter sent this morning, the director-general stated that the minister's decision puts 50,000 passenger tickets through the end of July at risk of cancellation, according to a report by Din Fisher (N12).
The development comes minutes after The Zioneer reported that the US had frozen the planned removal of refueling aircraft from Ben Gurion amid the current security escalation. The freeze had raised hopes that the fuel-truck shortage could be alleviated, but the minister's refusal to allow additional aircraft appears to deepen the crisis.
The fuel-truck shortage at Ben Gurion has been ongoing for weeks. As The Zioneer reported, the airport chief warned last week that 100,000 July tickets were at risk, and Transportation Minister Regev had previously instructed the IAA not to cancel flights, citing a pending solution. The current impasse leaves the summer travel schedule in doubt.
5 developments
- StrongUS freezes evacuation of refueling aircraft from Ben Gurion; minister blocks additional landings, 50,000 tickets at risk
- DevelopingAirport chief warns 100,000 July passenger tickets at risk of cancellation
- DevelopingBen Gurion Airport warns: 500 flights at risk of cancellation unless 15 fuel trucks are added
- DevelopingRegev: Ben Gurion operating normally, US refuelers not returning amid evacuation
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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