Advertisement

FAA lifts ban on travel to Tel Aviv airport

FAA lifts its ban on U.S. airlines traveling to Tel Aviv's Ben Guiron Airport after Hamas rocket strikes near airport.

By Danielle Haynes
Israeli police are deployed at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on April 15, 2012. UPI/Debbie Hill
1 of 10 | Israeli police are deployed at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on April 15, 2012. UPI/Debbie Hill | License Photo

TEL AVIV, Israel, July 24 (UPI) -- The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday night a lift of a two-day ban on travel by U.S. airlines to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport.

The FAA made the initial directive Tuesday afternoon and renewed it for a second 24-hour period Wednesday in response to rocket fire coming within one mile of the Tel Aviv airport.

Advertisement

Just before midnight, Wednesday, the FAA canceled that second restriction.

"The FAA has lifted its restrictions on U.S. airline flights into and out of Israel's Ben Gurion Airport by canceling a Notice to Airmen it renewed earlier today," a release from the FAA read. "The cancellation is effective at approximately 11:45 p.m. ET."

  The FAA made the directive after a rocket from Gaza struck Tel Aviv about a mile from the airport.

"Before making this decision, the FAA worked with its U.S. government counterparts to assess the security situation in Israel and carefully reviewed both significant new information and measures the government of Israel is taking to mitigate potential risks to civil aviation," the release said.   "The FAA's primary mission and interest are the protection of people traveling on U.S. airlines. The agency will continue to closely monitor the very fluid situation around Ben Gurion Airport and will take additional actions, as necessary," the release added.

Advertisement

Latest Headlines