Sources inform ''Globes'' that the Ministry of Transport supports use of the Haifa Municipal Airport by low-cost airlines. The plan would include expanding the airport and making it available for international flights.
In recent years, plans have been promoted for the construction of an airport at Megiddo, paralleling government declarations about the importance of expanding the Haifa Airport. In April, Haifa businesspeople, including tourism operators and industrialists, as well as the Chambers of Commerce of Haifa and the North, expressed opposition to plans to cancel the Haifa Airport expansion.
Several months ago, the Ministry of Transport commissioned a report to decide between expanding the Haifa Airport and building an alternative airport at Megiddo. The ministry says it will make a decision only after receiving the report.
Ministry of Transport director general Nahum Itzkovitz said use of the Haifa Airport by low-cost airlines would lower fares to and from Israel, because the Haifa Airport would be cheaper than Ben Gurion International Airport.
Low-cost airlines use small or secondary airports, rather than large international airports, because of the lower fees.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on September 10, 2006
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2006