"Lod airport" redirects here. For the airport in Vanuatu with IATA code LOD, seeLongana Airport. For first suicide attack on Israel, seeLod Airport massacre.
"Tel Aviv Airport" redirects here. For the closed airport that also served Tel Aviv, seeSde Dov Airport.
Ben Gurion International Airport[a] (IATA:TLV,ICAO:LLBG), commonly known by theHebrew-language acronymNatbag (נתב״ג), is the main international airport ofIsrael. Situated on outskirts north of the city ofLod and directly south of the city ofOr Yehuda, it is the busiest airport in the country. It is located 45 kilometres (28 mi) to the northwest ofJerusalem and 20 kilometres (12 mi) to the southeast ofTel Aviv.[2] It was known asLod Airport until 1973, when it was renamed in honour ofDavid Ben-Gurion (1886–1973), the first prime minister of Israel. The airport serves as a hub forEl Al,Israir,Arkia, andSundor, and is managed by theIsrael Airports Authority.
In 2023, Ben Gurion International Airport handled 21.1 million passengers,[4] making it one ofthe busiest airports in the Middle East. It is considered to be among the five best airports in theMiddle East due to its passenger experience and its high level of security;[5] while it has been the target of several terrorist attacks, no attempt to hijack a plane departing from Ben Gurion Airport has ever succeeded.[6]
The airport is of great importance to Israel as it is one of the few convenient entry points into the country for most passangers.[7] As it was Israel's only international airport, it was regarded as asingle point of failure, which led to the opening ofRamon Airport in 2019.[8]
Lod Airport, 1958. The building is currently the Terminal 1 building.Bust ofDavid Ben-Gurion at Ben Gurion Airport, named in his honour
The airport began during theBritish Mandate for Palestine as an airstrip of two unpaved runways on the outskirts of the town of Lydda (nowLod), near theTempler colony ofWilhelma. It was built in 1934, largely at the urging ofAirwork Services.[9] The first passenger service at the new airport was theMisr Airwork routeCairo—Lydda—Nicosia, inaugurated on 3 August 1935. Subsequently, Misr flew via Lydda toHaifa andBaghdad. The first continentalEuropean airline with a regular service to Lydda wasLOT Polish Airlines since 4 April 1937. By that time, Lydda Airport boasted four fully operational concrete runways. Holland'sKLM, which had since 1933 stopped atGaza en route toBatavia, Dutch East Indies (nowJakarta, Indonesia), moved the service to Lydda in 1937.Imperial Airways, too, used Lydda as a refueling stop en route to India.
DuringWorld War II, Imperial Airways and laterBritish Overseas Airways Corporation continued the service to Lydda until thefall of France in June 1940. When the Japanese military advanced intoBurma andMalaya in February 1942, KLM curtailed its route to Batavia and made Lydda the eastern terminus of the route. Misr Airwork, which had suspended flights upon the British declaration of war, resumed the weekly Cairo—Lydda—Nicosia service in May 1940.[9]
The first civilian transatlantic route,New York City to Lydda Airport, was inaugurated byTWA in 1946. The British gave up the airport at the end of April 1948.
Moroccan Jewish children arrive at the airport in 1949; transported via Norway.
Soldiers of theIsrael Defense Forces captured the airport on 10 July 1948, inOperation Danny, transferring control to the newlydeclared State of Israel.[citation needed] In 1948 the Israelis changed the official name of the airport from "Lod International Airport" to "Tel Aviv-Lod International Airport".[10] Flights resumed on 24 November 1948.[11] That year, 40,000 passengers passed through the terminal. By 1952, the number had risen to 100,000 a month. Within a decade, air traffic increased to the point where local flights had to be redirected to Tel Aviv's other airport, theSde Dov airfield (SDV) on the city's northern coast. By the mid-1960s, 14 international airlines were landing at the airport.
The airport's name was changed from Lod toBen Gurion International Airport in 1973 to honour Israel's first Prime Minister,David Ben-Gurion, who died that year.
While Ben Gurion Airport has been a target of terrorist-organised armed attacks, the adoption ofstrict security precautions has ensured that no aircraft departing from Ben Gurion airport has ever beenhijacked. On the other hand, there have been two major incidents in the airport's history that were a result of foreign airliners taking off from other countries and landing at Ben Gurion Airport.
In the first incident, on 8 May 1972, fourBlack September terroristshijacked a Sabena flight en route from Vienna and forced it to land at Ben Gurion airport.Sayeret Matkal commandos, includingBenjamin Netanyahu, led byEhud Barak (both future Israeli Prime Ministers) stormed the plane, killing two of the hijackers and capturing the other two. One passenger was killed.[12]
Later that month, on 30 May 1972, in an attack known as theLod Airport massacre, 24 people were killed and 80 injured when three members of theJapanese Red Army sprayed machine gun fire into the passenger arrival area. The victims includedAharon Katzir, a prominentproteinbiophysicist and brother of Israel's 4th president. Those injured included a group of twentyPuerto Rican tourists who had just arrived in Israel.[13] The only terrorist who survived wasKozo Okamoto, who received a life sentence but was released in 1985 as part of a prisoner exchange with thePFLP-GC.[14]
More buildings and runways were added over the years, but with the onset of massimmigration fromEthiopia and the formerSoviet Union in the 1980s and 90s, as well as the global increase of international business travel, the existing facilities became painfully inadequate, prompting the design of a new state-of-the-art terminal that could also accommodate the expected tourism influx for the 2000 millennium celebrations. The decision to go ahead with the project was reached in January 1994, but the new terminal, known as Terminal 3, only opened its doors a decade later, on 2 November 2004.[15]
During the2014 conflict with Gaza, several airlinesbanned their flights to the airport for a couple of days.[16] In October 2023, with the outbreak of theGaza war, the number of airlines that flew into the airport dropped to just 7. By February 2024, only 45 airlines flew into the airport.[17]
The furthest nonstop flight to have departed the airport was a privateAirbus A340-500 owned by billionaire casino mogulSheldon Adelson who flew on 2 January 2017 toHonolulu on a route over theArctic Ocean. The flight was projected to last 17 hours and 40 minutes.[18]
Before the opening of Terminal 3, Terminal 1 was the main terminal building at Ben Gurion Airport. At that time, the departurescheck-in area was located on the ground floor. From there, passengers proceeded upstairs to the main departures hall, which containedpassport control,duty-free shops,VIP lounges, one synagogue and boarding gates. At the gates, travelers would be required to descend a flight of stairs to return to the ground floor where waiting shuttle buses transported them to airplanes on thetarmac. The arrivals hall with passport control, luggage carousels, duty-free pick-up and customs was located at the south end of the building. Theapron buses transferred passengers and crews to and from the terminal to airplanes which were parked on the tarmac over 500 m (1,600 ft) away. After Terminal 3 opened, Terminal 1 was closed except for domestic flights to the airport inEilat and government flights such as special immigrant flights from North America and Africa. Chartered flights organised byNefesh B'Nefesh carrying immigrants from North America and England use this terminal for their landing ceremonies several times a year.[25]
Although Terminal 1 was closed between 2003 and 2007, the building served as a venue for various events and large-scale exhibitions including the "Bezalel Academy of Arts Centennial Exhibition" which was held there in 2006.The renovations for the terminal were designed by Yosef Assa with three individual atmospheric themes. Firstly, the public halls have aLand-of-Israel character with walls painted in the colors of Israel'sJudean,Jerusalem andGalilee mountains. The departure hall is given an atmosphere of vacation and leisure, whilst the arrivals hall is given a more urban theme as passengers return to the city.[26]
Private jets on the apron at Terminal 1
In February 2006, theIsrael Airports Authority announced plans to invest 4.3 millionNIS in a new VIP wing forprivate jet passengers and crews, as well as others interested in avoiding the main terminal. VIP ground services already exist, but a substantial increase in users has justified expanding the facilities, which will also boost airport revenues. The IAA released figures showing significant growth in private jet flights (4,059, a 36.5% increase from 2004) as well as private jet users (14,613, a 46.2% increase from 2004). The new VIP wing, operated by an outside licensee, will be located in an upgraded and expanded section of Terminal 1. All flight procedures (security check,passport control andcustoms) will be handled here. This wing will include a hall for press conferences, a lounge, meeting rooms and a lounge for flight crews.[27] It was announced in January 2008, however, that the IAA planned to construct a new 1,000-square-metre (11,000 sq ft) VIP terminal next to Terminal 3.[28]
AneasyJet SwitzerlandAirbus A320 on stand at Terminal 3. Previously passengers on some low-cost international carriers such aseasyJet checked-in at Terminal 1 and were bussed to Terminal 3 departures for boarding.
Terminal 1 was closed in 2003 and reopened in 2007 as the domestic terminal following extensive renovations,[29] and in July 2008, to cater for summer charter and low-cost flights.[30] It remained open for these charter and low-cost flights for the 2008 summer season then temporarily closed in October 2008, when it underwent further renovation and reopened again in the summer of 2009, when it was expected to reach a three-month capacity of 600,000 passengers on international flights.[30] As of 2010, severallow-cost carriers' international flights were operating out of Terminal 1 year-round includingVueling flights toBarcelona andeasyJet flights toLondon (Luton),Manchester,Geneva, andBasel. In 2015, due to increased demand and following another expansion of the terminal, the Israel Airports Authority made Terminal 1 available to all low-cost carriers under certain conditions.[31] Flights operating out of Terminal 1 are charged lower airport fees than those operating out of Terminal 3.[32]
Work onNatbag 2000, as the Terminal 3 project was known, was scheduled for completion prior to 2000 in order to handle a massive influx ofpilgrims expected for theMillennium celebrations. This deadline was not met due to higher than anticipated costs and a series of work stoppages in the wake of the bankruptcy of the main Turkish contractor. The project eventually cost an estimated one billion US dollars. Due to the proximity of the airport to the country's largest population centres and the problem ofnoise pollution, another international airport is being considered to be built elsewhere in the country,[37] such as the newIlan and Assaf Ramon Airport in Southern Israel.
The overall layout of Terminal 3 is similar to that of airports in Europe and North America, with multiple levels and considerable distances to walk after disembarking from the aircraft. The walk is assisted byescalators andmoving walkways. The upper level departures hall, with an area of over 10,000 m2 (110,000 sq ft), is equipped with 110check-in counters and as well asflight information display systems.[38] A small shopping mall, known as Buy & Bye, is open to both passangers and the general public. The mall, which includes shops, restaurants and a post office, was planned to be a draw for non-flyers too. On the same level as the mall, passengers enter passport control and the security check. Planes taking off and landing can be viewed from a distinctive tilted glass wall. The arrivals hall is located on the ground floor where there are also 20 additional check-in counters (servingStar Alliance airlines).Car rental counters are located in an intermediate level situated between the departing and arriving passenger halls. Terminal 3 has twosynagogues.[39]
Airside duty-free rotunda, Terminal 3 departures
After the main security check, passengers wait for their flights in the star-shaped duty-free rotunda. A variety of cafes, restaurants and duty-free shops are located there, open 24 hours a day, as well as a synagogue, banking facilities, a transit hall for connecting passengers and a desk forVAT refunds.[40]
Terminal 3 has a total of 40 gates divided among four concourses (B, C, D, and E), each with 8jet bridge-equipped gates (numbered 2 through 9), as well as two stand gates (bus bays 1 and 1A) from which passengers are ferried to aircraft. Two gates in concourse E utilize dual jet bridges for more efficient processing of very large widebody aircraft. Concourses B, C, and D were opened when terminal 3 opened in 2004, while concourse E was completed in 2018.[41] Space exists for one additional concourse (A) at Terminal 3.
Freewireless internet is provided throughout the terminal.[42][43]The terminal has three business lounges—the exclusiveEl AlKing David Lounge for frequent flyers and threeDan lounges for either privileged or paying flyers.
In January 2007, the IAA announced plans for a 120-bed hotel to be located about 300 m (980 ft) west of Terminal 3.[44] The tender for the hotel was published by the IAA in late 2017.
When the terminal was built, it was said to have a capacity for up to 12 million passengers a year. In 2023, 25 million passengers are expected to pass through Ben Gurion Airport.[45]
Terminal 2 was inaugurated in 1969 whenArkia resumed operations at the airport after theSix-Day War.[46] Terminal 2 served domestic flights until 20 February 2007 when these services moved into the refurbished Terminal 1. Due to increased traffic in the late 1990s andover-capacity reached at Terminal 1, an international section was added until Terminal 3 was opened. After the transfer of domestic services to Terminal 1, Terminal 2 was demolished in order to make room for additional air freight handling areas.
This terminal, built in 1999, was meant to handle the crowds expected in 2000, but never officially opened. To date, it has only been used as a terminal for passengers arriving from Asia during theSARS epidemic.[47]Another use for the terminal was for the memorial ceremonies upon the arrival of thecasket of Col.Ilan Ramon after theSpace ShuttleColumbia disaster in February 2003 and the arrival ofElhanan Tannenbaum and the caskets of three Israeli soldiers from Lebanon in January 2004.
In December 2017, the IAA announced a long-term expansion plan for Ben Gurion Airport estimated to cost approximately NIS 9 billion. Plans include further expansion of Terminal 1, a new dedicated domestic flights terminal, a major expansion of Terminal 3's landside terminal which would add approximately 90 additional check-in counters, construction of Concourse A, and additional aircraft parking spaces and ramps. In addition, air cargo facilities would be relocated to a large, currently-unused tract of land in the northern part of the airport's property (north of runway 08/26) where additional aircraft maintenance facilities would also be built.
In the meantime, to ease immediate overcrowding problems at Terminal 3's landside terminal, in the spring of 2018 a temporary large, air-conditioned tent was erected adjacent to Terminal 3 housing 25 check-in counters and security screening facilities. This tent was used for compulsory COVID-19 testing for all arriving passengers between 2020 and 2022.
In August 2018, the IAA published a tender for the construction and operation of a new terminal, dedicated to handling private and executive aircraft traffic.[48]
In late 2021 construction began on a new interchange that will provide additional access to the airport from Highway 1. The new interchange significantly reduced the distance vehicles must travel to access the airport's main terminal from the direction of Tel Aviv and other points north and west of the airport.
The Airport City development, a large office park, is located east of the main airport property. It is at the junction of theJerusalem andTel Aviv metropolitan areas.[49]
Runway and taxiway layout as it existed from the 1970s until the mid-2010s. The runway depicted on the right was seldom used by commercial traffic due to being only 1,780 m long.Airport layout following the runway and taxiway reconstruction and reconfiguration completed in 2014
The closestrunway to terminals 1 and 3 is12/30, 3,112 m (10,210 ft) in length, and is followed by ataxiway. Mostlandings take place on this runway from West to East, approaching from theMediterranean Sea over southern Tel Aviv.[55] During inclement weather, it may also be used fortakeoffs (Direction 12). A 17 million NIS renovation project was completed in November 2007 which reinforced the runway and made it suitable for futurewide-body aircraft. In September 2008, a newILS serving the runway was activated. The main runway was closed from 2011 until early 2014 in order to accommodate the extension of runway 03/21 and other construction activity in the vicinity of the runway.
The longest runway at the airfield, 4,062 m (13,327 ft), and the main take off runway from east to west (direction 08/26), is referred to as "the quiet runway" since jets taking off in this direction produce lessnoise pollution for surrounding residents.[vague] A 24 million NIS renovation project completed in February 2006 reinforced the runway and made it suitable forwide-body aircraft such asAirbus A380.[56]
The original layout of the airfield as designed by the British in the 1930s included four intersecting 800 m (2,600 ft) runways suitable for thepiston engined aircraft of the day. However, none of this original layout is visible nowadays since as usage increased and aircraft types and needs changed over the years various runways on the airport's premises were built and removed.[citation needed]
The main runway (12/30) is the oldest surviving runway in the airport, with the quiet (08/26) and short (03/21) runways having been built in the late 1960s and 1970s. Since very little commercial traffic could operate on the short runway, for approximately forty years, the airport mostly relied on runways 12/30 and 08/26. This presented a problem, however: the fact that these two runways intersect near their western end creates a crisscross pattern between aircraft landing and taking off. This pattern reduces the number of aircraft which can arrive to and depart from the airport and has detrimental safety implications as well.[citation needed]
With passenger traffic projected to increase, plans were drawn in the 1980s and 90s for the extension of runways 03/21 and 08/26 as a means of alleviating some of Ben Gurion's safety and capacity concerns. These plans were approved in 1997 and construction began in 2010. The extension of runway 03/21 allows the airport to operate in an "open V" configuration, allowing for simultaneous landings and take offs on runways 08/26 and 03/21 and thus more than double the number of aircraft movements which can be handled at peak times, while increasing the overall level of air safety in and around the airport. Construction took four years and cost 1 billion NIS (financed from the Israeli Airports Authority budget) and was completed 29 May 2014. It included paving 22 kilometres (14 mi) of runways and taxiways, using more than 1.5 million tons of asphalt, laying one million meters of runway lighting cables, 50,000 metres (160,000 ft) of high-voltage power lines and 10,000 light fixtures.[57] The construction of several new taxiways between the existing runways and terminals also significantly reducedtaxi times at the airport.[citation needed]
Security at Ben Gurion International Airport operates on several levels.[58]
All cars, taxis, buses and trucks go through a preliminary securitycheckpoint before entering the airport compound. Armedguards spot-check the vehicles by looking into cars, taxis and boarding buses, exchanging a few words with the driver and passengers. Armed security personnel stationed at the terminal entrances keep a close watch on those who enter the buildings. If someone arouses their suspicion or looks nervous, they may strike up a conversation to further assess the person's intent.Plainclothes armed personnel patrol the area outside the building, and hiddensurveillance cameras operate at all times.[59] Inside the building, both uniformed and plainclothes security officers are on constant patrol. Departing passengers are personally questioned by security agents even before arriving at the check-in desk. This interview can last as little as a minute, or as long as an hour if a passenger is selected for additional screening. Luggage andbody searches may be conducted.[citation needed]
Until August 2007, there was a system of color codes onchecked baggage but the practice was discontinued after complaints of discrimination.[60] In the past, checked bags were screened following the personal interview and before passengers arrived at the check-in desks. Occasionally, if security assessed a person as a low risk, they were passed straight through to the check-in desks, bypassing the mainX-ray machines, a practice which also drew some discrimination complaints. This process ceased in April 2014 when the main X-ray machines were removed from the passenger queuing area in Terminal 3 and baggage screening began being performed after the baggage was checked-in by airline representatives (as is common in most airports around the world). Terminal 1 began using the same procedure in the summer of 2017.[citation needed]
After check-in, all checked baggage are screened using sophisticated X-ray andCT scanners and put in apressure chamber to trigger any possible explosive devices which have a trigger dependent on air pressure. Following the check-in process, passengers continue to personal security and passport control. Before passing through themetal detectors and putting carry-on baggage through the X-ray machine at the security checkpoint, passports and boarding passes are re-inspected and additional questions may be asked. Before boarding the aircraft, passports and boarding passes are verified once again. Security procedures for incoming flights are not as stringent, but passengers may be questioned by passport control depending oncountry of origin, or countries visited prior to arrival in Israel. Passengers who have recently visited Arab countries are subject to further questioning.[61]
The following airlines serve regular scheduled and charter destinations at Ben Gurion Airport.[62] Most of the airlines have been suspended or have delayed their resumption due to the Israel-Hamas War since 7 October 2023 and the ongoing situation in the Middle East.[63]
Commercial flights fromSde Dov Airport which, until its closure in July 2019, handled more domestic passengers annually than TLV have been moved to Ben Gurion.[211]
The airport is located nearHighway 1, the main Jerusalem–Tel Aviv Highway andHighway 40. The airport is accessible by car or public bus.Israel Railways operatestrain service from the airport to several parts of the country and taxi stands are located outside the arrivals building. A popular transportation option is ashare taxi van, known in Hebrew as amonit sherut (service cab), going toJerusalem,Haifa, andBeersheba.
Israel has an integrated nationwidepublic transport payment system covering multiple transit options (train, bus, and light rail) run by various operators using a single payment card: theRav-Kav. It features flexible tariff arrangements and offers free transfers between transit methods within certain geographical zones and time periods. A public transport information office which also issues Rav-Kav cards is located in the arrivals hall of Terminal 3. With a few exceptions, most public transport options (except for taxis and service cabs) do not operate on the Sabbath (i.e., from early Friday evenings to late Saturday evenings as well as certain Jewish holidays).
A new app payment system was introduced in December 2020. The apps have a different, simpler fare system. The two supporting routing and payment are: Cello,Moovit, Pango, and Rav-Pass.[clarification needed][214]
Platform 1 of the airport train station at Terminal 3
Israel Railways operates theBen Gurion Airport Railway Station, located in the lower level of Terminal 3. From this station passengers may head northwest toTel Aviv,Haifa and other destinations in the north, or southeast toModi'in andJerusalem. The journey toTel Aviv Savidor Central railway station takes about 18 minutes and to Jerusalem'sYitzhak Navon station about 25 minutes. There is also late night/early morning train service to and from the airport terminating atBeersheba Center viaLod,Ashkelon, and selected destinations in between. Almost 3.3 million passengers used the railway line to and from the airport in 2009. The service does not operate onShabbat andJewish holidays but on all other days it runs day and night. The line toNahariya through Tel Aviv and Haifa operated 24 hours a day on weekdays, but these services were suspended following the COVID-19 pandemic and put on hold until railway electrification works are completed in the mid-2020s, following which the line would run from Jerusalem and terminate atKarmiel instead of Nahariya (though it would continue to service Tel Aviv and Haifa).
The airport is served by regular inter-city bus lines, limousine and private shuttle services,Sherut "shared" door to door taxi vans and regular taxis.[215] Afikim bus company provides 24 hours a day, on the hour, direct service to Jerusalem with line 485. the line departs from Terminal 3 on the 2nd floor and passes through Terminal 1.[216]Egged bus number 5 ferries passengers between the terminals and a small bus terminal in the nearby Airport City business park near El Al junction just outside the airport where they can connect to regular Egged bus routes passing through the area. Passengers connecting at Airport City can pay for both rides on the same ticket, not having to pay an extra fare for bus No. 5. Other bus companies directly serve Terminal 3, and the airport also provides a free shuttle bus between terminals.[217] On Shabbat, when there is no train service, a shared shuttle service is available between the airport and Tel Aviv hotels.[218][219]
Located onHighway 1, the Jerusalem – Tel Aviv highway, the airport has a total of approximately 20,000parking spaces for short and long-term parking.[220] The spaces for long-term parking are situated several kilometres from the terminal, and are reached by a free shuttle bus.[221] Car rental at the airport is available from Avis, Budget, Eldan, Tamir Rental,[222] Thrifty, Hertz, and Shlomo Sixt.[223]
In December 2006, Ben Gurion International Airport ranked first among 40 European airports and 8th out of 77 airports in the world, in a survey, conducted byAirports Council International, to determine the most customer-friendly airport.Tel Aviv placed second in the grouping of airports which carry between 5 and 15 million passengers per year behindJapan'sNagoya Airport. The survey consisted of 34 questions. A random sampling of 350 passengers at the departure gate were asked how satisfied they were with the service, infrastructure and facilities. Ben Gurion received a rating of 3.94 out of 5, followed by Vienna, Munich, Amsterdam, Brussels, Zürich, Copenhagen, and Helsinki. The airport retained its title as the best Middle Eastern airport in the 2007, 2008, and 2009 surveys.[224][225]
On 13 February 1939, aFokker F.XVIII (VQ-PAF) of the newly founded Commercial Aviation Company Ltd. was being flown around the airport for an inaugural celebration. While landing the pilot lost control and veered off into the mud, damaging it beyond repair.[236]
On 5 February 1950, aDouglas C-54A-10-DC (4X-ACD) of El Al skidded off during takeoff, caught fire, and was damaged beyond repair. All 50 occupants survived.[237]
On 15 May 1953, aDouglas C-47 of theUSAF as part of a US military attaché in Israel caught fire standing at night and was burned out. Sabotage was suspected.[238]
On 26 October 1969, aVickers 833 Viscount (4X-AVC) of Arkia crashed during a nighttime training flight and was damaged beyond repair. All three occupants survived.[239]
On 30 November 1970, aBoeing 707-373C (N790TW) ofTWA was taking off for a cargo flight to Frankfurt at 02:00 on runway 30 when an empty, unlitIAFStratocruiser (4X-FPS/037) was towed across the runway; the 707 hit the Stratocruiser and both aircraft caught fire. Both planes were damaged beyond repair, and all three crew on the 707 survived. However, two persons were killed on the ground.[240][241]
On 8 May 1972, a Boeing 707–329 (OO-SJG) ofSabena was hijacked en route to Tel Aviv from Vienna and landed at Ben Gurion; the four hijackers demanded prisoner releases. Two were shot and killed by military personnel in ground engineer uniforms the same day, and a passenger died eight days later from injuries sustained in the gun battle.[242]
On 16 August 1973, aBoeing 720-023B (OD-AFR) ofMEA was hijacked en route fromBenghazi toBeirut overCyprus by a male hijacker with two guns who demanded to be flown at Ben Gurion; he was overpowered by ground police upon arrival.[243]
On 31 July 1980, a Boeing 707-358C (4X-ATX) of El Al had a fire erupt in the rear lavatory prior to departure at Ben Gurion; the aircraft was evacuated and fire services had to cut a hole in the fuselage to put out the flames. The aircraft was later repaired.[244]
On 18 June 2001, aATR 42–320 (4X-ATK) of Israir could not lower its starboard main undercarriage and had to land without it; none of the 42 occupants were injured. The plane was written off and converted into a training rig.[247]
On 8 April 2015, aBritish Aerospace BAe 125-800A (4X-CZO) of Arrow Aviation aborted a takeoff from runway 26 due to a swerve issue, and after stopping a fire broke out in the right main gear wheel area. The plane, an air ambulance, was substantially damaged.[248]
On 28 March 2018, aBoeing 737-76J (WL) (D-ABLB) on Germania Flight 4915 to Berlin collided with aBoeing 767-300ER (4X-EAK) on El Al Flight 385 to Rome while both aircraft were in the pushback/towing phase at 06:22. The 737's tail fin hit the right horizontal stabilizer of the 767 after ground controllers cleared both for pushback without realizing they were blocking each other. The 737 was later repaired, but the 767 was written off.[249][250]
On 4 May 2025, a ballistic missile launched from Yemen by the Iran-backedHouthi rebel group landed in the vicinity of Ben Gurion Airport after repeated attempts to intercept the missile failed. Flights at the airport were delayed for a half hour after the attack.[251] Multiple flights to Tel Aviv were also suspended.[252]
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^"Contact Information".CAL Cargo Air Lines. Retrieved on 1 January 2012. "Contact Information Headquarters C.A.L. Cargo Airlines 1 Hayarden Street, Airport City P.O.B. 271 Ben Gurion Airport 70100, Israel"[dead link]
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