Ben-Gurion Airport CEO says Israeli aviation industry on brink of collapse
"We can operate safe civilian aviation even under the shadow of coronavirus,” CEO of Ben-Gurion Airport Shmuel Zakay wrote on Facebook.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF, TZVI JOFFREThe empty Ben Gurion airport, as most flights have been cencelled in order to prevent the spreading of the Coronavirus. April 06, 2020. (photo credit: MOSHE SHAI/FLASH90)
CEO of Ben-Gurion Airport Shmuel Zakay wrote on Facebook that Israel’s aviation industry is on the brink of collapse because of the coronavirus outbreak. Zakay said that Ben-Gurion Airport, Israel’s largest airport, is “days away from reaching the point of no return,” according to i24News. "Bringing them back to efficient and safe flights will take months.”Despite his lamenting about the lack of activity at the airport, Zakay acknowledged that the measures the Israeli government is taking to combat the virus is necessary, but he accused the government of lacking a strategy.“This week civilian flights resumed in the world even in countries whose illness levels are high,” he stated, according to i24News. “We can operate safe civilian aviation even under the shadow of coronavirus.” El Al canceled all flights planned for Wednesday, after the pilot's union announced that pilots would not embark on flights due to the company's financial crisis. El Al lost $140 million, about half a billion shekels, in the first quarter of 2020, according to a report by the company on Tuesday.The pilot's union announced on Tuesday evening that after "the administration of the company did not even respect the agreements that were signed with the union less than a month ago, the union had no choice but to arrive to the conclusion that the owners of the company are unable to save it from its situation," KAN news reported. The dispute between the pilots and the company was also caused by the refusal by El Al to transfer Boeing 737 pilots to Dreamliner aircraft for cargo and passenger flights, according to Maariv.Since the coronavirus crisis began, about 100 pilots have continued working for El Al, while the rest are on unpaid leave.
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