Officials divert incoming flights In an effort to reduce public air exposure to rocket fires from Gaza, an official said incoming passenger planes would now be diverted from Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv to Ramon Airport in the south.
Passengers will disembark at Ramon. Empty planes will then fly to Ben Gurion to pick up new passengers, and then depart from Ben Gurion to their destinations overseas. officials divert incoming flights
The decision is designed to increase air traffic control by domestic and international airlines and to reduce the number of passenger planes on the ground at any one location to reduce the risk of a rocket fire from Gaza hitting the aircraft.
Airlines and private jets will still be allowed to land at Ben Gurion Airport, a spokesman for the Israel Airports Authority said.
American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines have suspended flights to Israel amid rising violence in the conflict between Israel and Palestinians.
Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza, and Palestinian militants in Gaza fired rockets at targets in Israel, including the main airport in Tel Aviv.
United Airlines canceled flights from Chicago, Newark and San Francisco through Saturday. A spokesperson said United will let customers booked on Tel Aviv flights through May 25 change their itineraries without paying a higher fare.
American Airlines canceled its daily flight from New York to Tel Aviv on Wednesday and Thursday and offered to put passengers on flights at later dates, according to an airline spokesperson. Delta canceled flights from New York to Tel Aviv through Thursday.
Company representatives said the airlines were monitoring the situation for when they might resume the flights.
