Airways Special Report: Handling the Threats
Originally published on Airways
In the wake of Hamas’ October 7 surprise attack upon southern Israel, almost all international airlines serving Israel immediately suspended service as a precautionary measure, knowing that an inevitable Israeli ground invasion loomed ahead. In the ensuing war, rockets and drones have been filling the skies, not only putting civilian lives in jeopardy but also posing severe threats to the safety of civil aviation.
Regardless, Israeli flag carrier El Al (LY) and Israeli leisure carriers Arkia (IZ) and Israir (6H) continued to put planes in the air, even as most airlines from North American and Europe suspended flights to Tel Aviv, in effect giving the Israeli airlines a monopoly.
Israel's main gateway, Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV), named after Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion, is less than 40 miles (65km) from the front lines of the war in Gaza. Yet, the airport has remained open to receive civil aviation traffic throughout the war—unlike other war zones, such as Ukraine, which closed their airspaces from the moment war broke out.
So, what makes Israel different? For starters, the country was intent on keeping its airspace open. It’s vital that people can leave, soldiers can return, and necessary goods and supplies can enter.
The question is, how does Israel keep an airport open in a warzone?
An Iron Dome system battery, near Tel Aviv. // Israel National Photo Collection
Specific Routing
To ensure safety for civilian aircraft, the first and foremost mitigation measure taken by the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAA) was to implement specific routing—especially the route planes take to approach Ben Gurion. After October 7, airlines flying into Tel Aviv have had to follow a specific route pattern from the north to ensure they stay away from the area of the conflict.
The new routes are more northern than before, with aircraft flying just 10 miles (16km) south of the Israeli port city of Haifa. On arrival, aircraft begin their approaches at waypoint IVONA, at 9,000ft just off the coast of Israel. Planes maintain that altitude for 19 miles (30km), heading east before turning south and descending to 4,000ft for the approach to runway 21. The departure route follows a similar pattern, with aircraft taking off from runway 08 before banking left while quickly climbing to 10,000ft. The aircraft then head north before turning west near Haifa and out over the Mediterranean Sea.
Operations did not even come to a halt on the morning of October 9, when fragments from a Hamas missile landed less than a mile away from Ben Gurion Airport, sending passengers scrambling to shelters. In the skies above, a Ryanair Boeing 737 was diverted on approach; however, normal operations were resumed within 10 minutes. On October 11, British Airways Flight BA165 made an abrupt U-turn while approaching Tel Aviv, as air raid sirens begun sounding around the airport. After receiving orders from the airline, the Captain flew the aircraft back to the United Kingdom. After it had touched down at London Heathrow, the airline officially halted all flights to Israel.
The CAA has advised planes inbound for Tel Aviv to carry additional fuel to take into account the unpredictability of rocket attacks. In November and December, there were many instances of planes flying on approach over the Mediterranean Sea having to reroute and circle in a holding pattern due to incoming rocket fire on Israel from Gaza.
Raytheon teamed with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to defend populated areas and critical assets with the Iron Dome Weapon System. It’s the world’s most-used system, intercepting more than 1,500 incoming targets with a success rate exceeding 90% since being fielded in 2011. // RTX
The CAA and the Israel Defense Force (IDF) are working closely together, with civilian and military air traffic controllers frequently sitting in the same buildings, and looking at the same aerial pictures. "With a lot of hard work and research, we have developed outstanding real-time decision-making capabilities that allow us to maneuver these difficult situations,” said Colonel Ran Turgeman, Commander of the Israel Air Force's (IAF) Aerial Surveillance Systems.“Without full surveillance over all the aerial space and synchronization between the systems, we wouldn't have been able to control the situation. It's not because of luck that no aircraft were hit; it's because of thinking and technology."
Thanks to this collaboration, controllers can ensure that missiles, especially those from the Iron Dome defense system, steer clear of civilian aircraft when they are fired to intercept those fired by Israel’s enemies. The Iron Dome batteries deployed near the airport have demonstrated their ability to protect Ben Gurion Airport’s terminal buildings and the planes on the ground.
In addition, the CAA has limited the number of aircraft that can load passengers and fuel at any given time. Previously, the airport often had more than 10 jets parked at its gates. In the wartime atmosphere of October, November, and December, the number of jets parked at gates with fuel and passengers was maxed out at six-and, often, four. Moreover, once a plane is ready to push and depart, it taxis and takes off as promptly as possible. There is no waiting on the runway.
Not The First Time
As far as Israel's Civil Aviation Authority is concerned, keeping the country’s air travel moving despite the nation being under attack is simply tradition. The CAA has kept its air space open throughout previous conflicts and Hamas missile attacks over the past decade. During the Gaza War in the summer of 2014, for instance, a rocket landed a mile away from Ben Gurion, leading European and United States-based carriers to suspend flights for a number of days. The same occurred in spring 2021, when Hamas fired a barrage of rockets towards Tel Aviv.
In the present war, Israel issued a notice stating that its airspace would remain open and operational even as foreign airlines began pulling their operations out of Tel Aviv. The notice did urge airlines to exercise caution.
There have been critics. Many industry safety experts believe that Israel's airspace should have been restricted more, especially in the early days of the war, and that air traffic should have been suspended over the conflict area. Despite the rerouting of planes approaching Haifa, many industry leaders have cautioned that surface-to-air missile (SAM) activity is still a threat. The IDF has confirmed that it will employ a conventional SAM system to shoot down any rocket launched towards Haifa from Gaza. This has led to concern that civilian planes could be hit.
Nonetheless, Israel has unequivocally stated that, should a missile be fired, air traffic controllers would have at least 90 seconds to revector any planes out of the area. In those 90 seconds, planes can travel over ten miles.
Of chief concern is the sheer number of rockets being fired daily. Double the number of missiles have been fired than during the two-week conflict in May 2021 and the six-week hostilities in 2014.
While it is not Israel's intention to target civilian aircraft, many safety officials have said that keeping the air space open is nonetheless risky. Commercial planes could be shot down if misidentified. In July 2014, a pro-Russian militia hit a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777, operating flight MH 17 between Amsterdam Schiphol and Kuala Lumpur, when flying over eastern Ukraine. Sadly, all 283 passengers and 15 crew members lost their lives.
Israel denies that misidentification is a significant risk factor in its airspace. The CAA says an interceptor could not target a civilian aircraft because, on a radar screen, a drone, civilian aircraft, and fighter jet look very different.
Rough Neighborhood
The situation between Israel and Hamas is already complicated; the addition of neighboring hostile powers such as Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which have exchanged artillery fire with Israel, complicates things further. Clashes on Israel's northern border with Lebanon and Syria have reached levels not seen since 2006, during the Second Lebanon War between Israel and Hezbollah. And missiles and drones launched in October from Yemen at southern Israel by the Houthis were shot down by air defense systems.
There is a fear that Hezbollah will make a mistake when firing on targets in Northern Israel. However, Israel says that it is continually monitoring the risks posed by all sides very closely. The CAA says that, should it see any rockets launched towards Ben Gurion, it will freeze traffic and reroute all traffic to Eilat Ramon Airport in the south.
Due to its surroundings, Israel has to safeguard its air safety on three fronts: the north, against Syria and Lebanon, the southwest, against Gaza, and the south against Yemen. The Israeli Defense Forces and Air Force take pains to conduct air defense operations that impact civil aviation operations.
The Illan and Asaf Ramon International Airport was designed by Amir Mann-Ami Shinar Architects and Planners in partnership with Moshe Zur Architects. The Airport, serving the Red Sea resort city of Eilat and surrounding region, was commissioned by the Israel Airport Authority (IAA) and was handled from A to Z by the architects in their role as Design Managers. Located in Timna, it is Israel’s first civil airport built from scratch. // Israel National Photo Collection
Eilat Ramon Airport
In times of conflict, the airlines that service Ben Gurion need a backup airport. For carriers flying to Ben Gurion, such backup is provided by Ramon (ETM) Airport, in the Red Sea tourist city of Eilat. The airport opened for commercial operations in January 2019, becoming Israel's first new international airport in more than 50 years. The airport is named after Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut in space, who died onboard the Space Shuttle Columbia; and his son Assaf Ramon, who died during a training mission while flying an F-16.
Ramon Airport, which replaced the former Eilat Airport and Ovda Airport for civilian traffic, is located 11 miles (17km) north of Eilat, on the border with Jordan. As part of extraordinary precautions, the airport boasts the world's largest anti-missile fence, 85ft (26m) tall and 2.8 miles (4.5km) long. Known as a ‘smart’ fence, it is capable of stopping any Korent missiles aimed at Ramon Airport.
When building this airport, the Israel Airport Authority ensured that it would have copious ramp space; Ramon has eight remote parking stands for large aircraft and nine for turboprop jets. Its 11,800ft (3.600m) runway can accommodate larger aircraft. A runway this long is rare for an airport designed only for 2 million passengers per year. Still, it is a necessity dictated by Ramon’s role as the diversion airport for any aircraft unable to fly into Ben Gurion. Having Ramon Airport in reserve avoids the many issues that would arise should a flight initially slated to arrive in Tel Aviv were rerouted outside of Israel.
Due to its location far from civilian centers in the south, the airport is the primary alternate facility. Israel's northern port city of Haifa also has an airport (HFA), but it is much smaller than Ramon.
During the 2021 flare-up, multiple flights bound for Ben Gurion were rerouted to Ramon Airport. However, at the time of writing, the Eilat airport had not yet been forced to act as backup for Ben Gurion’s passenger traffic.
Most passenger flights utilizing Haifa Airport are domestic operations to Eilat and Tel Aviv. The airport is named after Uri Michaeli, one of the pioneers of Jewish aviation and one of the founders of aviation in Israel. // Israel Airports Authority
El Al’s Monopoly
According to Ben Gurion's monthly report for November 2023, while most airlines immediately suspended their flights to Israel, a few international carriers did continue operating: UAE’s flydubai (FZ) and Etihad Airways (EY), Russia's Azimuth Airlines (A4) and Red Wings Airlines (WZ), Uzbekistan Airways (HY), and Romaina's HiSky (H7). Some had consolidated their services and operated minimal flights.
By December, despite the efforts made by Israeli officials to convince international airlines to return to Israel, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) was the only airline to have resumed service, on December 2. In early December, the airport’s Chief Executive Officer Udi Bar-Oz, spoke with 120 international airline representatives to urge them to restart flights to Israel, but to middling effect. By mid-December, a mere 498 weekly departures were recorded from Ben Gurion Airport, a 66.4% drop from September levels.
The resulting void left El Al as the only airline operating nonstop flights on lucrative routes between the United States and Israel. In the fourth quarter of 2023, El Al announced that it operated 80% of the market share at Ben Gurion airport, compared to the 21% it had before October.
Although the low-cost leisure carriers Arika (IZ) and Israir (6H), which continue to fly, cannot compete with El Al on its long-haul routes,they have profited from the absence of other low-cost carriers.
Having the wartime market to itself, El Al raised ticket prices resulting in a 370% rise in profit in the fourth quarter of 2023, translating to almost US$40 million. Even when many airlines returned to Israel in January 2024, El Al continued to benefit from its dominance of the Israeli aviation market, carrying almost 73% of all passengers flying to Israel in January. Israir came in second, with 9.7%, up from 3% in January 2023.
Surging insurance costs have posed a problem for every airline, but the Israeli government has allocated more than US$5 billion in insurance backing for Israeli carriers to cover any losses deriving from wartime risks. International carriers haven’t been so lucky; their home countries haven’t subsidized their increased insurance costs.
Furthermore, Israeli carriers have the backing of the nation’s government, military, and intelligence to secure the operation of their flights. These airlines boast vigorous risk assessment mechanisms, crisis management programs, and emergency response plans in the event of armed conflict. International carriers cannot draw from such resources.
A view of El Al’s flightline, comprised of Boeing 787s and 777s. // EL AL
Amended Operations
Immediately after the war broke out, El Al began adding extra flights and seats to bring back reserve soldiers who had to report for service and other Israelis who were stuck abroad. In mid-October, the airline flew its first flight on a Saturday–the Jewish Sabbath, a national day of rest– since 1982, flying a few night flights to minimize waiting times for those needing to get back to Israel.
Since the October attack, the carrier has overhauled its route network, increasing frequencies to North America, Thailand, Paris, and London, while suspending flights to other destinations. During the first few weeks of the war, the airline added over 150 flights to help people leave the country or to bring back security and rescue personnel, essential equipment, and medical teams.
Moreover, El Al bolstered its cargo operation as some other cargo carriers pulled back service. Among other things, it converted a Boeing 777-200 passenger aircraft to cargo.
El Al is not the only Israeli carrier to have altered its operations. Leisure carrier Arkia began shuttling workers to and from the country. In November, the airline began operating flights to Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, with 190 locals bound for Israel to work in industries with labor shortages.
A factory-fresh El Al Boeing 787 seen in Boeing Field. El Al expects to complete the pending deliveries of its 787s between 2029 and 2030. // Daniel Gorun BFI
El Al's Success And Consumer Shift
Despite the war, El Al ended 2023 with a profit thanks to its strong results before the war broke out in October, especially between the fourth quarter of 2022 and the third quarter of 2023. Due to that success, the airline has kept to its plans to expand its fleet of Boeing 737s, the backbone of its short-haul fleet, and of Boeing 787s, the backbone of its long-haul operation.
The airline plans to grow its Boeing 737 fleet from 24 jets to between 28 and 31 between 2028 and 2030, and it aims to expand its Boeing 787 fleet from 16 to 22 between 2028 and 2030. In the coming months, it is anticipated that El Al will order up to 30 narrow-body jets; it is negotiating with Boeing and Airbus for that order.
As for long-haul flights, this summer, the airline is due to receive a 787-9 initially intended for Air China. In 2026, El Al will receive three more deliveries of the type. After that, it expects to take delivery of three additional 787-9s between 2029 and 2030. Besides these, El Al has options on six more, for a potential fleet of 28 Dreamliners.
El Al says consumer behavior has changed since October. Morre travelers are booking flights last minute instead of booking flights months in advance .In its 2023 financials, the airline highlighted that, despite the ongoing war, its average load factors increased from 84% in the fourth quarter of 2023 to an estimated 93% in the first quarter of 2024.
Those added sales have almost exclusively come from immediate travel during the war. In comparison, before the war, over 40% of tickets were advance sales. The airline has already adjusted its flight schedule for the upcoming summer season; this includes suspending flights to less relevant destinations and focusing on destinations with greater demand. As such, this summer, El Al will operate nine more weekly frequencies to North America and 22 to Europe than it did the summer of 2023.
Ben Gurion’s Terminal 3 is Israel’s main international gateway. It was designed by Black and Veatch, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), and Israeli architects Moshe Safdie, Ram Karmi and others. // Israel Airports Authority
Foreign Airlines Returning
With the passing of time, foreign airlines have begun to return to Israel, albeit hesitantly. The first announcement, which was made in mid-December by the Lufthansa Group, stated that Lufthansa (LH), Swiss International Airlines (LX), and Austrian Airlines (OS) would resume flights to Tel Aviv on January 9. That same week, Athens-based Aegean Airlines (A3) and Bucharest-based Tarom (RO) resumed flights to Israel. By the end of January, 20 international airlines had resumed service to Israel, including Air France (AF), Air Europa (UX), Hainan Airlines (HU), Vueling (VY), Transavia (HV), Bulgaria Air (FB), LOT Polish Airlines (LO), Bluebird (BZ), and TUS Airways (UB).
In February, other international carriers such as Smartwings (QS), Ryanair (FR), Azerbaijan Airlines (J2), Air Seychelles (HM), and Georgian Airways (A9) returned to Israel. On February 22, United Airlines (UA) announced that it would resume flights in March, becoming the first legacy carrier in the United States to do so. By March, ITA Airways (AZ), Wizz Air (W6), Cyprus Airways (CY), Air India (AI), and Brussels Airlines (SN) had resumed service. The Israel Airports Authority has anticipated that more airlines, notably British Airways (BA), KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL), Iberia (IB), and Air Canada (AC), will return in April and May. Delta Air Lines (DL) has said it will return to Israel in June. American Airlines (AA), however, has announced it will wait until at least October 2024.
Turkish-based Turkish Airlines (TK) Pegasus (PC), which accounted for a combined 9% of passenger traffic in September 2023, are not expected to return to Israel anytime soon. In their absence, airlines are substituting Athens International Airport (ATH) in Greece and Larnaca International Airport (LCA) in Cyprus for Istanbul as destinations for westbound connecting flights, and the United Arab Emirates has become the favored hub for eastbound ones.
