Sources in Turkey told the Associated Press that a decision to close that country's airspace related to Israeli military aircraft and not civilian air traffic.
Reports in the Turkish media earlier today said that Turkey's prime minister Tayyip Erdogan has decided to close Turkey's airspace to all Israeli air traffic. According to the state-run Anatolia news agency, Erdogan himself said that Turkey had closed its airspace to Israeli flights.
El Al, which does not currently operate direct flights to Turkey, but has several routes that pass over Turkish airspace, has not responded.
The Turkish Airlines marketing manager told "Globes" that at this point no official request from Turkey had reached the offices in Israel, and the airline is continuing as planned.
Israel's Minister of Transport Israel Katz said in response, "As of now we have received any official notification from the Israel Airports Authority."
Katz has instructed the Israel Airports Authority to carry on as normal regarding flights to and from Turkey.
At the same time, Katz has instructed senior staff in his office to examine the significance of the reports and to be immediately ready for all scenarios if these reports turn out to be true.
However, sources in Turkey told the Associated Press that the decision to close airspace related only to Israeli military aircraft and not civilian air traffic. The same source said that even regarding Israeli military aircraft it could mean that approval must be sought for each flight.
Israel Travel Agents Association CEO Yossi Fattal said, "There is almost no traffic to Turkey. This summer Turkey has been wiped off the map."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on June 28, 2010
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