Ryanair, Europe’s largest low-cost airline, announced on Tuesday that it will not resume operations in Israel in the coming year due to a dispute with Ben-Gurion Airport over the scheduling of its summer 2026 season flights.
The airline said that its flights were “repeatedly disrupted” during the summer 2025 season due to “security concerns over Israeli airspace,” and because of Ben-Gurion Airport’s “repeated decisions [three times] to close the low-cost Terminal 1, and force Ryanair into the high-cost Terminal 3.”
The airline added that it “sincerely regrets” having to cancel its 22 low-fare routes.
“We are fed up with having our low-fare flights repeatedly messed around by Ben-Gurion Airport. It is absurd that they refused to confirm our summer 2026 slots, when summer 2026 schedules are already on sale,” a Ryanair spokesperson said.
“It is also unacceptable to Ryanair and our low-fare, price-sensitive passengers that our growth at the Tel Aviv airport is dependent upon the availability of the low-cost Terminal 1 facility,” according to the spokesperson.
“However, the Tel Aviv airport keeps closing this facility for its own convenience, forcing Ryanair and other low-cost airlines into the more expensive Terminal 3, where we do not want to be, but they refuse to honor the low-cost agreement, which Terminal 1 facilities provide,” they added.
“Until such time as Ben-Gurion Airport confirms our historic S26 slots, and confirms that they will in future keep Terminal 1 open, we will not restart low-fare flights to and from Tel Aviv this winter,” the spokesperson said.
“Should the airport wish to confirm our summer 2026 slots and confirm that they will honor our low-cost Terminal 1 agreement, then we will look forward to returning to Tel Aviv with Ryanair’s services, offering 22 routes at fares that no other airline in Tel Aviv can match or compete with,” the statement said.
Ben-Gurion Airport officials blame the airline for the decision
Ben-Gurion Airport officials accused Ryanair of the decision to cancel its services, according to KAN News.
“We regret the manipulations Ryanair is making at the expense of the Israeli passenger. It appears the Irish company has decided not to fly to Israel and is now trying to minimize damage with passengers who purchased tickets for the coming months,” the officials said, according to KAN.
Ben-Gurion Airport has rejected the allegations concerning issues with scheduling and operations at Terminal 1, it reported.
“Terminal 1 is open and operating as usual. Ryanair received the slots for all the dozens of weekly flights and destinations it requested for the 2025-2026 winter season,” the officials said, the news agency said.