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Based on data from the Israel Airports Authority, since the start of the year, a 13 percent fall in international passenger traffic was recorded at Ben Gurion Airport.  During June there was a 12.5 percent fall in passenger traffic, compared to June 2008.  El Al recorded an 8 percent fall in passenger traffic between January and June.

During June, a total of 941,945 passengers passed through Ben Gurion Airport on 7,768 international and internal passenger flights.  International passenger traffic in June was 898,481 a fall of 12.5 percent compared to the same month last year.

There was a 6 percent fall in international passenger flights during June compared to the same period last year.  The Israel Airports Authority indicated that the sharp decline in operations to Turkey explained more than half (59 percent) of the decline during June.

On internal flights, a total of 43,464 passengers passed through Ben Gurion Airport, this compared to 33,582 in June 2008 and an increase of 29.4 percent.

Since the start of the year, airlines flew 4.4 million passengers. Israeli airlines recorded a 9 percent fall in comparison to the period January to June 2008, similar to most of the foreign airlines.  El Al recorded a fall of 8 percent, Lufthansa fell 12.5 percent in the first half of the year, Continental Airlines fell by 3.5 percent and Turkish Airlines was down by 18 percent.

Distribution by country shows the sharpest fall in traffic continues to be Turkey, down by 50 percent.  Traffic to the United States fell by 7.5 percent and to France a reduction of 15 percent.