Ryanair senior executive Eddie Wilson has announced that the low-cost Irish carrier plans returning to full operations in Israel in the summer and that the summer schedule has already been prepared. Ryanair has not been flying to Israel since last August when flights were suspended due to the security situation.
Ryanair's plans to operate a full flight schedule are significant, since most airlines that have returned to Israel have chosen a slow and gradual resumption. A full return of Ryanair will help significantly increase competition. However, Wilson expressed hope that Terminal 1 would reopen, noting that this is an important condition for the profitability of operations in Israel.
The Israel Airports Authority announced last October that Terminal 1 would reopen on April 1, and said it was ready to resume operations at the terminal if there is a significant return of low-cost airlines with a long-term commitment. As of today, the terminal is undergoing upgrade work, so a return of Ryanair before the planned opening in April is unrealistic.
Wilson told "Reuters," "We rely on (European aviation regulator) EASA guidance ... but our view is that we will be back."
Ryanair also suspended flights to Jordan during last year's tensions but resumed operations to the Hashemite Kingdom in December. The airline has Europe's biggest aircraft fleet.
After resuming Israel operations last June and prior to the suspension of flights in August, Ryanair operated flights from Tel Aviv to: Paphos, Athens, Malta, Bucharest, Budapest, Milan, Bari and Berlin and from the end of October was planning to operate flights to Bologna, Rome, Naples, Turin, Venice, Menningen, Baden Baden, Brussels, Cracow, Poznan, Warsaw, Marseilles, Vienna, Sofia, Vilnius and Thessaloniki.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on January 12, 2025.
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