Ryanair continues to clash with Israel, what is behind it 0 25

The Irish low-cost airline Ryanair announced that it will not resume flights to Israel in the near future, explaining that this decision is due to the inability to use the cheaper Terminal 1.

"The airport is not opening the terminal for its own convenience, forcing Ryanair and other airlines to use the more expensive Terminal 3," the company stated to reporters, adding that if Ben Gurion Airport meets the terms of the agreement by the summer of 2026, the company would be happy to return to Tel Aviv.

The airport authority states that Ryanair was allowed to use Terminal 1, which resumed operations back in August. Additionally, all requested slots for the winter 2025-2026 season were approved for the airline.

It is worth noting that a few days ago, Ryanair CEO Eddie Wilson sent a letter to the CEO of the Israel Airports Authority, Sharon Kedmi, demanding the return of Ryanair's "historically established slots" by September 30 – otherwise, the Irish low-cost carrier would cancel all flights to Israel and redirect its planes to other destinations. The company claimed that the current policy for allocating registered takeoff and landing times at Ben Gurion Airport is "unstable" and complicates the planning of the company's profitable operations.

"We do not want to be there, and they refuse to meet the terms of a favorable agreement," a company representative stated. Terminal 1 resumed operations in August 2025.

"Until the airport is ready to fulfill our agreements on cheap rates, we are not ready to resume flights. If Ben Gurion approves the terms by the summer of 2026, we would be happy to return to Tel Aviv," the representative added.

Earlier, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary had already stated that the company might not return to Israel even after the decline in violence related to the war in Gaza, as, according to him, Israeli aviation authorities are "messing with her head." "If the Israelis do not stop, frankly, we have other markets in Europe where we can grow much more," he noted.

Recall that Ryanair suspended flights to Israel in October 2023 after the outbreak of war. In February 2024, flights resumed, but by the end of that month, they were halted again due to the closure of Terminal 1. At the end of March, the airline resumed flights from Baden-Baden, planning to service routes from 22 cities in 12 European countries. However, in May 2025, it suspended operations again after a ballistic missile from Yemen fell in the Ben Gurion area, announcing that it would not return to Israel before October 25. Now the company states that it will not return at all.

The Israel Airports Authority commented on Ryanair's statement: "It is a pity that Ryanair continues to try to convince the public that the 'problem' is in Israel, while the only problem is the company's refusal to operate the flights it committed to. All slots it requested for the winter 2025/26 season were fully granted, and the flights are intended to depart from Terminal 1 – just like all other low-cost airlines. The terminal is open, operating normally, and ready to accept Ryanair passengers as early as tomorrow morning.

The airport authority is ready to provide a full range of services for the airline's passengers, but the choice is now up to Ryanair: to take advantage of the provided rights or continue to stage a PR show at the expense of its customers. As many foreign airlines have already proven in practice – it is possible to fly to Israel, even from Terminal 1, without turning it into a drama. We would be happy if Ryanair preferred facts over scandal in the press.