Israel – Foreign Airlines Threaten to Discontinue Flights to Israel .

Israel – Representatives of foreign airlines in Israel are threatening to stop flying to Israel due to the country’s failure to prevent illegal radio broadcasts that are interrupting radio contact between the Ben Gurion Airport control tower and planes during landing and take off. These interruptions result in heavy financial damage to the companies.

The representatives claimed that the piratical radio phenomenon puts Israel in one category with third world countries, adding that if the situation continues, they would have to terminate service to Israel.

Illegal broadcast have recently caused delays of up to two and-a-half hours in take offs, and have also forced planes to wait in the air
for hours before landing. These delays did not only harm the airlines, but also passengers who missed connecting flights abroad.

“It is inconceivable that civil aviation should face such dangers in a Western country without anything being done about it,” the representative of one of the airlines said. He added that the subject would be discussed by international aviation organizations, and that measures may be taken against Israel as a result. [ynet]