Israel is beginning to slightly relax emergency aviation restrictions at Ben Gurion Airport, raising the number of outbound passengers allowed per flight to 80, even as missile threats and security concerns continue to heavily limit air travel.
The adjustment, set to take effect tonight, was coordinated between the Israel Airports Authority and the Home Front Command. It marks a modest easing of the stricter wartime rules that had capped departures at just 50 passengers per flight, aside from a limited number of humanitarian cases.
Despite the change, the overall system remains tightly controlled. Under the current framework, only one departure and one arrival are permitted each hour, although incoming flights are allowed to land at full capacity. These restrictions were introduced following renewed Iranian threats and heightened pressure from defense officials to minimize risks around the airport.
The disruption to Israel’s aviation sector has extended into neighboring countries as well. Arkia attempted to reroute operations through Aqaba and Taba, but faced setbacks when Jordanian authorities altered their policy and denied approvals for certain flights, stranding passengers and forcing cancellations.
Meanwhile, El Al has warned that its outbound capacity has dropped dramatically, operating at roughly 5% of its usual volume. The airline has urged authorities to expand operations through Ramon Airport in the south, while continuing to run a limited schedule to major destinations such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Paris, Rome, and Athens.
While the latest move offers a small increase in travel capacity, Israel’s airspace remains under significant constraints, with airlines continuing to navigate a combination of security directives and regional instability.
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