With cheaper flights and record incoming tourism, 1.74 million passengers passed through Ben Gurion Airport in April, 26% more than in April 2016, according to a report by the Israel Airports Authority. The number of passengers passing through the airport in January-April was 5.266 million, 20% more than in the corresponding period last year. The Passover holiday fell in April both this year and last year.
El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. (TASE: ELAL) carried 482,000 passengers in April, 27% of all passenger traffic during the month, followed by Turkish Airlines, used by 96,000 passengers (most of the Turkish Airlines passenger continued on from Istanbul to various destinations on connecting flights). easyJet was in third place with 68,000 passengers in April, a little more than the number of passengers carried by Russian airline Aeroflot, which also offered attractive offers for continuation flights to various destinations around the world, especially in the Far East.
Israir Airlines and Tourism Ltd.'s passenger traffic totaled 64,000, a dramatic 77% improvement, compared with April 2016. Pegasus, the second Turkish airline, also posted a big improvement with a 42% increase to 58,000 passengers. Arkia Airlines Ltd. carried 55,000 passengers in April, 38% more than in April 2016.
Turkey was the leading destination for Israeli passengers, mostly as a stop on the way to other destinations via connection flights. Other leading destinations for Israelis included Germany, France, the US, Italy, the UK, Russia (also mainly as an intermediate stop), Greece, and Spain.
Published by Globes [online], Israel Business News - www.globes-online.com - on May 9, 2017
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