Israir (6H, Tel Aviv Ben Gurion) CEO Uri Sirkis has criticized the planned closure of Tel Aviv Sde Dov next year claiming the move will severely impact his airline's operations - services to Eilat J. Hozman In particular.
Responding to Globes financial news, Sirkis said the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority's (ICAA) decision to bring forward the planned closure of the airport to June next year was ill conceived given the Summer high season.
"I'm astonished at ICAA's decision to move us out of Sde Dov airport in June. The season in Eilat starts in June. If they have to close it down, why do it in June? Why not in November? This will have a negative impact on hotels in Eilat, which are any case suffering from low occupancy rates."
Arkia Israeli Airlines (IZ, Tel Aviv Ben Gurion) and Israir currently operate the route multiple times daily.
The airport's closure will also have larger ramifications for Israir, which will be forced to switch its operational base to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion. Other Sde Dov-based operators include charter specialists Tamir Airways and Nanyah Aviation.
As part of a deal with the Israeli Finance Ministry, the Defence Ministry, which owns the land, will receive ILS1billion (USD355million) to vacate the space by 2017. Once empty, the land will be home to 16,000 housing units.
