Air travel to and from Israel declined in the last three months of 2023 amid the conflict with the Palestinian Islamic resistance group Hamas. However, the number of passengers traveling through Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv increased by ten percent in 2023. The Israeli Airports Authority reported on Sunday that the number of travelers on international flights reached 21.1 million in 2023, up from 19.2 million in 2022.
In the first nine months of the year, before the Hamas attack on October 7, the number of travelers grew by 38.5 percent year-on-year to 19.1 million. However, it subsequently dropped to record the largest decline of 78 percent in November and 71 percent in December, according to the Airports Authority.
With nearly all foreign airlines suspending flights to and from Israel due to the war and heavy rocket attacks from Gaza, El Al Israel Airlines capitalized on this situation, with its number of passengers rising by 32.5 percent to 5.5 million in 2023, capturing 26.3 percent of the passengers at Ben Gurion Airport.
Wizz Air came in second last year with a share of over nine percent, and reported an increase in the number of passengers by 35.5 percent despite halting its flights in the fourth quarter. Ryanair placed third with a share of 5.4 percent, although the number of its passengers decreased by 12 percent in 2023.
The airport's managing director, Odi Bar Oz, stated, "Ben Gurion continues to operate while monitoring and ensuring the safety and security of aircraft and passengers." In December, nearly 80 percent of passengers flew on El Al's planes, followed by the smaller Israeli airline "Israir" at ten percent and Fly Dubai at 3.2 percent. During that month, only seven foreign airlines operated flights to Israel.
