Flights from Eilat (Ramon Airport) to Europe May Be Subsidized: Talks Underway Between Israel’s Ministry of Transport and Flydubai
The Israeli Ministry of Transport is actively seeking ways to revive the operations of the southern Ramon Airport. The ministry has initiated talks with the UAE-based airline Flydubai regarding the launch of direct flights from Ramon to European countries. To make this route attractive, the government is prepared to cover part of the expenses and subsidize the flights.
The primary goal of the Ministry of Transport’s new initiative is to resolve the issue of the terminal’s critically low utilization. Currently, the actual passenger traffic at Ramon Airport barely reaches 30% of the figures originally projected during its design and construction stages.
The foundation for this potential cooperation was laid last week during an official visit by an Israeli delegation to the United Arab Emirates, where the plan was presented to the carrier’s management. Technical experts and representatives from Flydubai are expected to arrive in southern Israel in the coming days. Their objective is to conduct an on-site comprehensive assessment of the terminal’s infrastructure and capabilities.
If the parties reach an agreement, the Emirati airline will receive targeted government funding. This will significantly reduce ticket prices for consumers. Furthermore, to address logistical challenges, the Ministry of Transport promises to launch a convenient system of regular shuttles to transport passengers from the central regions of the country directly to the airport.
According to industry observers, the partnership with Flydubai is being viewed by the ministry as a promising alternative to a stalled project. Previously, it was expected that establishing an operational base for the popular European low-cost carrier Wizz Air would help boost traffic at Ramon Airport. However, the focus has now shifted toward cooperation with the Emirati carrier
