IAA: A new runway and a fourth parking slip will be built at Ben Gurion Airport

Construction will begin in early 2007, and will take 3-4 years. According to study published by the Airports Authority 9.3 million passengers were expected to pass through Ben Gurion Airport in 2006
 
Ministry of Transport director general Gideon Siterman announced last week that an agreement was reached with Israel Airports Authority to build another runway and a fourth parking slip at Ben Gurion Airport, at a cost of US$200 million.
 
According to Siterman the new runway and the parking slip which will be financed by the Authority’s budget, will each cost US$100 million.
 
Construction will begin in early 2007, and will take 3-4 years. Siterman added that the new runway and parking slip will reduce congestion at the airport, and make more landings and takeoffs possible.
 
According to study published by the Airports Authority 9.3 million passengers were expected to pass through Ben Gurion Airport in 2006, 10% more than in 2005, and similar to the number in 2000 which was Israel’s peak year for civil aviation.
 
Airline passenger traffic in April-May 2006 was up 15% over the parallel period in 2005.Airports Authorityfigures indicate that in July-August 12,830 take-offs and landings are scheduled at Ben-Gurion, carrying some 2.25 million passengers – 10% more than last summer.
 
The Knesset ( Israel's parliament ) Economics Committee held a special meeting last week on the Israel Airports Authority's preparations for the outstandingly heavy flow of travelers expected over the summer. The committee met, following concerns voiced by the foreign airlines regarding the ability of the airport services to cope on peak traffic days.