Ben Gurion Airport’s Terminal 1, designated for low-cost and Eilat flights, will reopen on June 1, the Transportation Ministry announced.
The move is expected to bring back airlines, like Ryanair, that halted flights but promised to return upon Terminal 1’s reopening, drawn by its lower fees of 11 USD per passenger versus Terminal 3’s 27 USD.
Terminal 1 was closed shortly after the outbreak of the war, as most airlines grounded their flights to Israel and passenger footfall at Ben Gurion Airport plummeted. The Transportation Ministry was eager to reopen Terminal 1 as quickly as possible, but staffing issues and additional logistical challenges have prevented this.
According to Airports Authority data, recent months have seen a steady increase in passengers traveling abroad, as well as a significant return of foreign international airlines to Ben Gurion Airport.
The data indicates that over 60 international airlines operating at Ben Gurion Airport are expected to fly to more than 100 destinations during the summer months. The daily passenger number in the summer is expected to reach about 70,000, compared to the current 35,000 passengers.

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