US military planes cost Ben Gurion Airport $248M in losses

Financial Impact

Sharon Kedmi, director general of the Israel Airports Authority, said Thursday that the presence of US military refueling aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport has cost the authority 700 million shekels ($248 million) in losses over the past two months. Kedmi warned that the figure could climb into the billions if current conditions persist, noting that the facility is operating at only one-third of its normal capacity due to space constraints imposed by American military operations. "We are at the limit of our capabilities," he told Israel's public broadcaster KAN, adding that additional flight cancellations would be announced in the coming days.

Operational Constraints

Approximately 70% of activity at Israel's main international gateway has been restricted because resources have been diverted to support the US military presence, Kedmi stated. The authority had projected 18 million passengers for the year, but estimates now suggest the figure may not exceed 15 million, with up to 3 million travelers potentially affected by ongoing disruptions and cancellations. Foreign airlines are unlikely to resume operations in the near future, he said, further straining the airport's commercial viability.

Official Warnings

Shmuel Zakay, chief of the Civil Aviation Authority, earlier this month told Transportation Minister Miri Regev that Ben Gurion had effectively "turned into a military airfield with limited civilian activity," according to Israeli media reports. Zakay warned that the deployment was crippling civilian flights, delaying the return of foreign carriers and driving up ticket prices for travelers. The remarks reflected growing concerns among Israeli aviation officials about the prolonged military occupation of civilian infrastructure.

Military Presence

Dozens of US tanker aircraft are currently stationed at Ben Gurion Airport, which sits near Tel Aviv and serves as Israel's primary international aviation hub. The military operations have transformed the facility's operational profile, restricting civilian access to a fraction of normal capacity as authorities struggle to balance defense logistics with commercial aviation needs.