RedChili

2) What do you mean connection in TLV? Do you mean connecting to/from a bus to Eilat?

3) ETM is located right next to route 90. Egged buses from Jerusalem to Eilat already make a detour to Masada to pick up and drop off passengers, so I don't see why they can't stop at the new airport. That would be a logical choice. Bus number 390 takes around 4:50 from Tel Aviv to the Timna Park.

4) I believe all low cost flights are in the winter, when the 40 degrees is not a problem.

Ditto

And even in summer, I can't see how walking a few dozen meters makes a whole lot of difference for people visiting the area.

BATLV

2) No - international XXX-TLV, domestic TLV -ETM, or domestic TLV-ETM, international ETM-XXX. The security processes that are not designed for smooth connections will make it at least 3 hours connection
3) The quality and logistics of PT in Israel are horrible. What they wlil probably do is either make one to connect in Eilat, or will add yet another stop at ETM - making it a longer journey. So you will 390 route of 5:15 to 5:30 hours.
4) Not sure about the numbers, but still - it makes the boarding and deplaning processes longer, adding to the inconvenience at any weather.

No matter how you look at it - the only justification for ETM is real estate vacated by ETH. The question is who is the financial beneficiary.

BATLV

No one will walk. You will wait in the plane till a bus arrives to drive you. Walking is not allowed on account of safety and security. ETH procedure will not take place.
And even if you walk - in any case, it is not convenient and time-consuming.

RedChili

2) OK, but those type of connections are only relevant for international travelers who want to visit Eilat. They're not relevant for an Israeli from central Israel who want to catch a cheap flight from ETM. Even today, I suspect that it's a very low number of international travelers who make the XXX-TLV-ETH connection, so that won't change too much. (On my first visit to Eilat, I made the mistake of connecting from a CPH-TLV flight to a SDV-ETH flight, with a taxi between TLV and SDV. Since then I've chosen a bus, car rental, or a flight to VDA instead.)

3) I think that the bus routes to and from Eilat are quite efficient. Granted, it's more than 10 years since I was on any of those buses, but the online schedule appears to me to indicate that they are just as efficient today as last time I took them. Bus number 444 makes a total of 50 potential stops between Jerusalem and Eilat, so I don't think it's unurealistic to assume that ETM will be added as a 51st stop. From memory, the only stops which add significant time to the journey are the detours to Masada and the Ein Bokek hotels. The bus from Tel Aviv makes a single detour to the Dimona bus station. Adding an extra detour via ETM shouldn't add more than 5 minutes.

4) When I've visited the Arava (only in winter time, between November-March) it's always been pleasantly warm and sunny weather except for once, when it was pouring cats and dogs. During that winter period, I'd say that the Arava has on average more pleasant weather than TLV.

Ditto

Since when do LCC connects to any other flights? I don't really see how anything changes here, the airlines that sell a XXX-TLV-ETH connection will continue doing so to ETM instead, one will still have to go through immigration in TLV and change to terminal 1 and the MCT will probably remain the same, quicker to rent a car and drive.

Ohh just not having to take a bus drive for 2 minutes to board the plane, which is the reality anyway in many airports serviced by LCCs.

Nobody ever really said otherwise, there are a few other reasons as well...

So then even less of a problem, you'll only have to walk the few meters from the plane to the bus and from the bus to the terminal.

BATLV

Gents, you are being petty on details and are looking into irrelevant items. The bottom line is it will take a family of 3 about 5 hours to get to ETM, it will cost them at least 100$, and they will have a sub-par airport experience (duty-free, boarding, lounges - not that the latter ones are decent in TLV). Hence it is a very poor alternative to TLV. You, personally, may enjoy the weather and a bus ride - but for most Israelis - these are not good at all.

Your entire point of view is of a European tourist (with a pro-Israeli narrative or family connections - as is the case for the vast majority of tourists who are visiting Israel.) - and not an Israeli.

Let's wait for the number of Israelis using ETM for international travel - and talk then.

PS 51 bus stops to get to an airport ? to shave 20$ off the air fare? Give me a break.

BATLV

The only one that comes to mind is that the terminal in ETH looks crap compared to most 3rd world countries...

RedChili

I have a feeling that you haven't realized what the purpose of ETM is. If you believe that the purpose is to serve as an alternative low-cost airport for Israelis from Tel Aviv and Haifa, then you're mistaken. The purpose of ETM is to replace VDA (which handles incoming traffic with European tourists to Eilat), and replace ETH (which handles domestic flights). VDA is a mess today and far from Eilat, so ETM will be a hundred times better. ETM should be a big boost for incoming tourism to Eilat, and thus Israeli economy.

Except for a handful of Flyertalkers (who are often willing to fly huge detours to save a few bucks or earn a handful of extra miles), nobody expects an Israeli from Gush Dan to buy a ticket on Ryanair from ETM to Poland. People from Beer Sheva and Dimona maybe.

(PS! It would be 46 potential bus stops between Jerusalem and Eilat. With 50 seats in the bus, you'll need one passenger to get off at each bus stop to actually stop at each place, which is never going to happen. Except for the major stops at Ein Gedi, Masada, Ein Bokek, and Ein Yahav, the bus actually doesn't stop much.)

joshwex90

Why would someone need to connect in TLV to reach ETM? ETM will be an international airport with Israeli and international carriers serving it.

Ditto

I don't really get the point you are trying to make, the airport was not built in mind to have families travelling all the way from the center to shave 20$ of the airfare, the airport was build as a replacement for ETH & VDA for multiple reasons.
Having said that, PAX who choose to travel hours by bus to ETM to get a cheaper airfare (51 stops or 5 stops) aren't too likely to be bothered by the "airport experience" that much, it is probably going to be in par with TLV T1 anyhow.

BATLV

I am fully aware of the purpose. I claim that ETM makes a marginal improvement to the pax at best, and the only substantial financial benefit is to be seen by real estate developers in Eilat. I do hope that this will result in a better developed Eilat, but given how poor it is as a tourist destination I fail to see how this development will benefit Israelis significantly.

BATLV

I wasn't the one to make this point - my entire post was to dispell it. I expect virtually no Israelis making the trip from "mainland" to ETM to enjoy a cheaper airfare. And all of the reasons for the creation of ETM do not create a significant economic benefit. If you think it will create a leap in Eilat's attractiveness to tourists - forget about it. It is Dimona by the seashore and will remain that way until there are decent hotels and a variety of quality attractions, night life, and restaurants.

joshwex90

It by itself? Maybe not. But done in tandem with other things, which include the creation of new hotels. Definitely.

joshwex90

Certainly not marginal to VDA pax. Also a benefit to passengers to ETH in the sense of more reliability with flights, more seats available (with more flight times, larger planes, etc.)