Following pressure from Miri Regev: US aircraft evacuated from Ben Gurion Airport

Ahead of one of the peak months for aviation in Israel, the US Air Force has begun evacuating some of the refueling aircraft that have been stationed at Ben Gurion Airport. The move is intended to ease expected congestion and ensure continued regular operations during a period when passenger numbers are expected to peak.

According to a report by N12, the evacuation follows pressure exerted by Minister of Transport Miri Regev on security officials to free up parking space at Ben Gurion Airport in preparation for the heavy traffic anticipated throughout August.

The move comes against the backdrop of a significant recovery in Israeli aviation. Passenger numbers have been steadily rising, with tens of thousands of Israelis and tourists passing through the terminal daily. Simultaneously, foreign airlines continue to expand their flight schedules to and from Israel, further increasing traffic.

Forecasts indicate that over 2.6 million passengers will pass through Ben Gurion Airport in August, with a daily average of approximately 100,000 travelers.

The Israel Airports Authority is preparing for the surge, with Thursdays expected to be the busiest days of the month and Monday, August 17, marked as the peak day for both passenger volume and flight operations.

Evacuating the American refueling aircraft is designed to allow for more efficient use of airport infrastructure during the critical summer vacation period, facilitating air traffic management and the handling of civilian flights as the airport returns to high levels of activity.