The Ministry of Transport plans to relocate the airport, to free up land for the city’s expansion.
The Israel Airports Authority has completed renovation on Eilat Airport at a cost of NIS 5.5 million. The arrivals lounge has been expanded and the departures lounge has been refurbished and an additional parking strip costing NIS 2 million has been laid to allow aircraft to park, thereby reducing delays in landings and takeoffs. The refurbishment program has used elements that have been copied from Terminal 1 at Ben Gurion Airport, such as check-in desks and baggage conveyors.
The Ministry of Transport plans to relocate Eilat airport, to free up land for the city’s expansion. Two options for relocation are being considered. One is for the airport to be moved to the Timna region, and which has the support of the Eilat Municipality. The other calls for the airport to be relocated to Aqaba, Jordan, and is anchored by the peace agreement with Jordan.
The government has given the airport authority NIS 14 million to conduct a feasibility study into the Timna option but this has not yet been carried out. Vice Premier Shimon Peres supports the Aqaba option, a move which he claims will save the $30 million cost of constructing an airport in Timna. Minister of Transport Shaul Mofaz has undertaken to hand down his decision within a month.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on July 2, 2006
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