Ben Gurion Int'l Airport Ready to Restart

The State of Israel is among the leading countries that have implemented far-reaching safeguards in maintaining public health, which has resulted in a low level of COVID19 sickness in Israel. The worldwide Aviation industry is now required to devise and implement a plan that will enable safe flights and preventing the spread of the COVID19. Ben-Gurion Int'l Airport is in the midst of preparing a "return to operation" while taking precautionary measures: "We give great importance to preventing spread sickness that will enable employees and passengers to maintain a high level of health safety, when arriving to the Airport and returning from abroad," noted Mr. Shmuel Zakay, Managing Director Ben Gurion Int'l Airport.

Part of the exiting strategy from the Aviation crisis arise as a result of the COVID19 eruption, is the resumption of international flights to and from Israel. The resumption of flights and the opening of the sky are in the public agenda. Aviation is a major component of the Israeli economy. We will apply all guidelines given by the international and Israeli authorities and regulators, including maintaining Social Distance, required hygiene, protective equipment and face mask wearing, at all service points. Airlines wishing to fly back to Israel will have to operate according to the applied recommendations set by the Ministry of Health and the Civil Aviation Authority, while implementing a wide range of measures to prevent disease infection.

Ben Gurion Int'l Airport is taking already early preventative measures accordingly.

Outgoing Passenger Process: Arrival of departing passengers to the Airport will be four hours prior to the flight departure time. Entering Terminal 3, the only terminal operating for flights, will be to flying passengers only, escorts will not be allowed to enter the terminal. At the terminal gates the passenger's Airline ticket and boarding pass, which will be produced by early check-in from home or on WEB, will be checked, passport as well. Passengers must wear a face mask and will pass temperature check. A passenger with a high temperature and fever will not be allowed to enter Terminal 3 at Ben Gurion Int'l Airport and his Airline will receive notification accordingly. A passenger who will not hold in his possession a printed and/or mobile boarding pass, will be able to use the CUSS Kiosks located throughout the terminal to complete the check-in procedures accordingly. Transferring the passenger to the Airline check-in counters will be for check-in hold luggage only, while keeping the Social Distance of 2 meters from passenger to passenger. Check-in counters will only be used for hold luggage check-in acceptance. Disinfection will be performed frequently. Hand sanitizers were put at each service point.

Ben Gurion Int'l Airport is the main gateway to Israel. "We are currently trying to find the medical examination platform and protocol as part of the outgoing and incoming passenger processes to and from Israel, by producing a medical visa / personal medical card, as soon as possible, hopefully in the near future, than a passenger who wishes to fly can present the medical visa / personal medical card to the Airline. We are trying to produce a process in which arriving passengers to the Airport will performs the above mentioned gate check at the entrance, unless he presents a valid health test performed - medical visa / personal medical card, within the required period of time prior to the flight departure or an official certificate which shows that he is immune to disease (and healthy).

A passenger who receives a positive result to the tests will not allowed to enter the terminal and be referred to the Israeli medical authorities" Says a senior official at the Airport.

The Incoming Passenger process, entering Israel has not yet been agreed, but is on the decision makers' desks. Foreign citizens entry into Israel in not allowed and the entry of Israelis directly into 14 days Home Quarantine extended till May 30th, 2020.

We have taken all appropriate measures and steps required, in all areas that can be used in the near future and we are working to adopt all measures throughout the entire Airport. Security employees at Security checkpoints and all other employees who come into contact with passengers and public will wear face masks at all times. The Airlines Check-In counters are protected by a protective barrier. Social Distance stickers were pinned to the terminal floor, as well as Social Distance signs were put all over the terminal and on the Check-In counter displays. Cleaning robots have been added, as well as many hand sanitizers were put all over. Surfaces throughout the terminal will be passing cleaning disinfectant process in high frequency. All employees working in Ben Gurion Int'l Airport, from all companies and entities will be shielded as required, with face masks and will be passing a temperature check at the Airport entrance.

Duty-Free stores will be opened gradually. The McDonald's restaurant, which allows ordering from distance by using a kiosks and App orders and order pick up at the counter, will be opened next week. Additional Duty-free stores will move to work with pre-orders Apps and under the applicable Purple Badge as required for stores accordingly.