the increasing numbers of ights and
new aircraft types, additional regulations,
technology and procedures for safety were
needed to give the country a 21st century
aviation infrastructure.
Over the years three of the original
runways were assimilated into the apron
parking areas and the fourth is now part of
a taxiway. Three new runways were built
from scratch. In June 2010 a project began
to upgrade the runways to cope with the
Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8. Advanced
runway safety systems were installed
as well as new ILSs (instrument landing
systems) and other navigation equipment
and a new 348ft (106m) air traffic control
tower constructed.
Last year Ben Gurion handled 17.3m
international and 594,000 domestic
passengers and the prediction is that by
2020 the total gure will have risen to 25m.LOOKING AHEAD
The future for Ben Gurion Airport looks
bright, with passenger numbers rising
each year in the past decade. To cope
with future demand construction started in
2014 on a 182,986sq ft (17,000m) new ‘E’
extension (adding to ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’ extensions)
to Terminal 3’s pier, which will incorporate
eight airbridges (three for widebody aircraft)
and two ground gates, and there will be ve
further stands for large types and seven
for smaller ones. The extension will also
house a VIP lounge and coffee and duty-
free shops and is due to open late this year/
early next year.
Ben Gurion can only be expanded so far
and in 2015 work started on an international
gateway at Timna, 7 miles (11km) from Eilat
airport, which will replace the latter.
One of the reasons for building what will
be called Ramon Airport (named for the rstIsraeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon, who perished
in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in
2003 and his son, Assaf Ramon, who died
six years later when his F-16 crashed) is to
help alleviate some of the pressure from the
main hub.
When it opens, all the airlines that use
Eilat City Airport and Ovda Airport are
expected to relocate their operations there.
Ramon Airport will provide domestic and
European ights. The new facility is due
to be completed in October this year and
is planned to open in the rst quarter of
next year – but such is the rate of growth in
passenger numbers to Israel that thoughts
are already turning to the possibilities of
a third major airport in the north of the
country.
Regardless of the developments
elsewhere, Ben Gurion Airport will remain as
Israel’s foremost international gateway.40 Aviation News incorporating Jets September 2017Terminal 1 today from the landside entrance. Noam MenasheBen Gurion Airport is Israel’s main international airport and handles many airlines from around the world. AirTeamImages.com/4x6zk-moni shafi rTerminal 3’s duty-free area. Noam Menashe36-40_gurionDC.mf.indd 40 03/08/2017 12:11