FAA Extends Ban On U.S. Airline Flights To Tel Aviv For Another 24 Hours

(James Emery)

Yesterday, the FAA temporary halted all U.S. airline flights to Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel for 24 hours. The agency has now extended that ban for another day.

A statement from the FAA says the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) remains in effect for Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport as the agency “continues to monitor and evaluate the situation.”

Yesterday’s ban came following a report of a rocket landing near the Ben Gurion. There is already heightened concern about air travel following the recent shooting down of a Malaysian Airlines flight over the Ukraine.

“The agency is working closely with the Government of Israel to review the significant new information they have provided and determine whether potential risks to U.S. civil aviation are mitigated so the agency can resolve concerns as quickly as possible,” reads the FAA statement. “The NOTAM applies only to U.S. operators, and has no authority over foreign airlines operating to or from the airport. The agency’s responsibility is to act with an abundance of caution in protecting those traveling on U.S. airlines.”

by Chris Morran via Consumerist