Originally Posted by
Ditto
I'm not sure what's your 8 hours trip is, unless you're talking about flying from Europe to TLV and driving to Eilat, or in the near future flying to ETM and driving to Tel Aviv? Why doesn't this option exist? I did it several times myself.
Actually for such PAX the connecting time that is offered in TLV is usually quite ridiculous (3-4hrs) so then you either have to book separate tickets and risk it, or rent a car and drive.
And yes if there is congestion at the entrance to Eilat travel time will be longer, but so as driving time as most seems prefer to drive through road 90.
BTW since you brought up taxi time, considering the wind direction about 99% of the year airplanes have to circle around and land on runway 03, meaning they also have to taxi it all the way back, so taxi time in ETM might actually be shorter, also just to nitpick the flight time will probably be slightly shorter
Re inconvenience I don't find spending time at the airport less convenient than spending it in a car, I'd probably say they are of equal convenience, but that's my opinion.
8 hours is a typical door to door time between leaving your home in, say, central Amsterdam, and entering your hotel room in Eilat. That includes just over 4 hours of actual flight time.
Regarding landing on 03 - ETH has the same wind rose as ETM. So the same process, still just a slightly longer taxi time. In any case, the difference in air time TLV-ETM/ETH is negligible as is taxi time. The bulk difference is in bussing time and walking airside to landside in the larger terminal.
An average Israeli with two kids would rather have those occupied with some screen time at the back sit, rather than chase around in a no-frills airport terminal.