El Al Drastically Cuts Flights as Israel Reduces Operations at Ben Gurion Airport

El Al Israel Airlines announced a significant reduction in its operations, with seat availability plummeting to 5% of its usual capacity. This decision follows an order from the Transportation Ministry to minimize traffic at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport, due to escalating security risks.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev decided to cut down the number of flights at Ben Gurion after a security assessment. With the ongoing U.S.-Israel aerial conflict with Iran, the interception of Iranian missiles remains a concern, especially after two instances on Saturday night resulted in civilian injuries.

Ben Gurion is now restricted to one incoming and one outgoing flight per hour, severely constricting regular operations. In response, El Al is advocating for the reopening of Ramon Airport as an alternative to maintain crucial international connections. Meanwhile, Arkia Airlines is shifting many of its operations to nearby regional airports in Aqaba and Taba.