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The Israel Airports Authority is expecting a 20 percent increase in the number of international passengers arriving on charter flights to the airports in Eilat and Ovda during this coming winter.  This is despite an expected reduction in the number of aircraft movement.

About 15 weekly flights, from different European destinations, including Paris, Moscow, Helsinki, Saint Petersburg, Warsaw, Kiev, Tallinn, Rostov and London Luton are expected at the airports in Eilat and Ovda during this winter season. This represents about 81,000 passengers, compared to 67,000 passengers during the winter of 2008.

According to the forecast of the authority, the revival of tourism to Eilat, which began during October 2009, is expected to continue until March 2010.

However despite this recovery, the average number of aircraft movements at the two airports is expected to fall by some 20 percent compared to the winter of 2008, this because of the cessation of El Al’s ongoing flights to Eilat.  The Israeli airline is still waiting for the approval from the Ministry of Transport regarding the operation of flights on the Ben Gurion Airport to Eilat route.

A total of 733 international aircraft movements are expected at the airports in Eilat and Ovda during the winter of 2009, this compares to 917 international passengers flights during the winter of 2008.  Ovda Airport is expecting an increase of 27 percent in the number of flights, with a total of 606, this compares to 476 during winter 2008.  The number of passengers expected at Ovda is expected to grow by 28 percent, totaling 67,000.  This compares to 52,113 during the winter of 2008.

The Israel Airports Authority reported that the locations from which tourists will arrivie in Eilat during the coming winter include four weekly flights from Moscow, three weekly flights from France, two weekly flights from Helsinki and one weekly flight from Saint Petersburg, Warsaw, Kiev, Tallinn, Rostov and Luton.

The report also shows that 2009 is expected to show a 4 percent increase in international passenger traffic to Eilat and Ovda.  Between January and October 2009 a total of 77,241 passengers passed through Eilat and Ovda on international flights, an increase of about 6 percent compared to the same period last year.