{"id":322174,"date":"2026-03-04T23:28:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T23:28:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/322174\/"},"modified":"2026-03-04T23:28:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T23:28:15","slug":"first-repatriation-flights-to-tel-aviv-set-to-arrive-as-airspace-partially-reopens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/322174\/","title":{"rendered":"First repatriation flights to Tel Aviv set to arrive as airspace partially reopens"},"content":{"rendered":"

The first repatriation flights from Athens bringing home thousands of Israelis stranded abroad amid the war with Iran were set to arrive at Ben Gurion airport overnight Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Israeli airlines El Al, Arkia and Israir have started to gradually operate repatriation flights to help fly back an estimated 100,000 Israelis who have been unable to return home since Israel shuttered its airspace on Saturday.<\/p>\n

The Transportation Ministry and aviation authorities on Tuesday evening approved a partial reopening of Israel\u2019s airspace in stages, subject to security developments. The country\u2019s airspace has been shut since Saturday, when Israel and the US launched a major joint military strike on Iran and the Islamic Republic responded with barrages of missile fire.<\/p>\n

Under the current framework, Tel Aviv\u2019s Ben Gurion Airport, the country\u2019s main international gateway, will operate 24 hours a day, but will open in a limited manner. In the first 24 hours, one passenger aircraft per hour carrying about 200 people will be permitted.<\/p>\n

After that, the frequency will be increased to two narrow-body aircraft every hour, or one wide-body, subject to approval by the Home Front Command and security authorities. From Friday, some 10,000 passengers are expected to arrive at Ben Gurion Airport per day. As of now, only inbound flights have been approved.<\/p>\n

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Starting Wednesday night, the first El Al flight will bring passengers from Athens to Ben Gurion Airport. Throughout Thursday, El Al will operate another eight repatriation flights returning stranded Israelis from Milan, Tbilisi, Budapest, Larnaca, Paris, London, Geneva, and Munich.<\/p>\n

In the coming days, El Al plans to pick up Israelis from a total of 22 destinations, including New York, Miami, and Los Angeles in the US, and Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand.<\/p>\n

The Israel Airports Authority emphasized that passengers landing at Ben Gurion Airport will be required to leave the terminal area as quickly as possible, after passing through security controls and once they pick up their luggage. A bus and Israel Railways transportation system will be in place to help those arriving leave the airport swiftly amid concerns of Iranian missile attacks.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tIllustrative: Arrivals hall at Ben Gurion Airport, on August 4, 2024. (Gavriel Fiske\/ Times of Israel)<\/p>\n

Smaller local airline Arkia will operate \u200bone flight from Rome overnight Wednesday to Thursday to Tel Aviv. Over the weekend, the carrier will have five flights \u200bon Friday, and six on Saturday, leaving from Athens and Larnaca and landing at Ben Gurion Airport.<\/p>\n

In the coming days, Arkia is preparing to operate additional inbound repatriation flights from Dubai, Bangkok and New York. Ticket sales for the flights are open for the general public, but Arkia customers whose flights were canceled will receive priority for placement on the repatriation flights.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Arkia will continue this week to operate special flights from various European cities, including Athens, Bucharest, Prague, Larnaca, Cyprus, and Sofia to Egypt\u2019s Taba International Airport to help stranded Israelis return home via land border crossings. The carrier on Sunday started flights using Electra Airways\u2019 Airbus A320 aircraft to and from Taba airport. Travelers stuck in Israel left the country via this route.<\/p>\n

Once restrictions on air traffic at Ben Gurion Airport are further eased, Arkia plans to operate an air train of outbound and inbound flights using a fleet of 16 aircraft. Destinations include London, Bucharest, Prague, Budapest, Sofia, Barcelona, Paris, Batumi and Dubai.<\/p>\n

Smaller Israeli carrier Israir is scheduled to operate five flights to Ben Gurion Airport on Thursday from Rome, Berlin, Athens, Batumi \u200band Rovaniemi. In addition, the local carrier will continue to operate flights to Egypt\u2019s Taba airport from Batumi, Budapest, Sofia, and Athens for stranded Israelis to return home via land border crossings into Israel.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tAn Israir flight takes off from Ben Gurion International Airport, outside of Tel Aviv, August 25, 2024. (Yossi Aloni\/Flash90)<\/p>\n

El Al flight ticket sales have been halted until March 21 to allow customers whose flights were cancelled to be assigned to repatriation flights as the airspace reopens. Israir has halted ticket sales until March 18.<\/p>\n


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