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According to data from the Israel Airports Authority a total of 1,061,136 passengers passed through Ben Gurion Airport on 8,091 international and domestic passenger flights during September. The number of passengers on international flights totaled 1,025,528 and represented a reduction on 1.25 percent on September 2008.

September, which included the Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur holydays, recorded a minimal decrease in international passenger traffic at Ben Gurion Airport. Israeli airlines flew a total of 404,155 passengers during the month, this represented 39.4 percent of the overall passenger traffic passing through Ben Gurion Airport and was a 0.01 percent increase on last September.

Antalya Airport was the leading destination for arrivals and departures, with a total of 78,498 passengers, this was a reduction of 2.15 percent compared to last September. Turkey was the destination with the greatest volume of passenger traffic with 121,323 passengers, representing 11.83 percent of all activity during the month. The largest increase compared to last September in passenger traffic was to Greece.

Since the start of the year passenger traffic to Turkey has fallen by 36 percent and to the United States by 4 percent; while passenger traffic to Russia recorded an increase of 10 percent.

The data from the Israel Airports Authority also revealed that among the leading airlines operating at Ben Gurion Airport during September, the largest increase in activity was recorded by Alitalia, Aerosvit from Ukraine and the British carrier bmi. El Al recorded an increase of 3 percent as did Arkia.  Israir’s activity slumped by 30 percent.

Among the leading foreign airlines Lufthansa recorded a growth of 4.4 percent, Austrian Airlines an increase of 5.5 percent and the Czech carrier CSA increased by 30 percent.  Swiss International recorded a 16 percent drop in traffic, while British Airways and Air France both fell by 14 percent.

The American airlines, Continental and Delta recorded falls of 7 percent and 5 percent respectively, while Air Canada continued its decline with a 30 percent reduction in activity.