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The Israel Airports Authority announced their forecast with the approach of the High Holy Day period: About 840,000 passengers are expected to pass through Ben Gurion Airport, similar to the number last year.  A 5 percent increase is expected in aircraft movement. Chairman of the Authority: “We will continue our special preparations at Ben Gurion Airport in order to ensure the free flow of passengers in and out of the country during the period of the High Holy Days.

According to the announcement from the Airports Authority, with the approach of the High Holy Day period, approximately 842,000 passengers are expected to pass through Ben Gurion Airport, between the 17th September and 1st October, on a total of 5,400 flights.  According to the forecasts, the leading destinations during the holiday period this year are expected to be Turkey, the United States, Germany, France and Italy.

The Airport’s Authority point out that already in the days prior to Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, the traditional departure of the ultra orthodox Hasidim, to the grave of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov in the city of Uman in the Ukraine, is underway.  Approximately 16,000 passengers are expected to depart for Uman between 13th and 18th September on about 80 flights.

On the 27th September, on the eve of Yom Kippur the Day of Atonement, the airspace around Ben Gurion Airport will be closed from 13:00, with all air traffic stopping from 12:50.   At the end of Yom Kippur on Thursday evening 28th September, the airport will reopen at 21:30 with international flights departures resuming at 22:30.

About 2.58 million passengers passed through Ben Gurion Airport during July and August 2009 on 17,780 flights.  This represents a 2 percent increase in passenger traffic and a 5 percent increase in aircraft movements compared to the corresponding period last year.