The Transportation Ministry announced today (Tuesday) that it expects some 60,000 travellers passing through Ben Gurion airport per day during April and Passover season.
This number, while an increase of 33% compared to March, is still 40% less than last April, a sign of the hit Israel has taken with the war.
The leading destinations of travellers are Greece and Cyprus, with the US, Italy, and the UAE also high on the priority list.
A number of international airlines will also be resuming operations in Israel in April, including British Airways, KLM, Air Canada, and others.
The Transportation Ministry announced last week that it was reopening Ben Gurion Airport's Terminal 1, due to increased demand for travel to and from Israel and a calmer security situation.
Almost all foreign airlines ended trips to and from Israel when the war began. Although they have begun returning, low-cost airlines like RyanAir have complained about the closure of Terminal 1 during the lull, which increases costs to travellers.
Despite the high cost of operating the terminal - some 200-300 million NIS a year according to Calcalist - the ministry nevertheless decided to reopen the terminal on June 1. Among the justifications was the many reservists who wish to take a vacation after months of fighting in Gaza.
