OT: SDV is closing
 

https://www.calcalist.co.il/local/ar...765168,00.html
Closure of Sde Dov will lead to more flights out of Haifa airport.

OT: SDV is closing
 

It seems to be final (as final as things can be in this crazy neck of the woods): Sde Dov's last flight will depart tonight, and the field will close for good.
https://www.haaretz.co.il/tmr/1.7424344

Shuly

Well, I just read in Jpost where Netanyahu has rejected keeping the airport open. The combination of the close of both Holzmann and Sde Dov will spell big problems for Eilat. Israir said they will run more flights out of Haifa, but what if people do not live in Hadera or north?

More flights out of Haifa is not a bad thing for the north of Israel, but with a short runway, those ATR 72-500s are probably only good for Eilat, Larnaca and Paphos.

Even without Sde Dov closing, Haifa should have a runway extension to help out an increasingly busy Ben Gurion. With Sde Dov closing, it is a must. Even just a 100-m increase in length would allow those Arkia E-190 e2 jets to reach Athens, Istanbul and the Greek Isles.

I will miss a proper transportation link to Eilat.

I agree that it was a mistake to close Sde Dov (LLSD), but that mistake was made years ago. The last minute political sideshow of regret was in essence a challenge to the rule of law, after binding contracts and agreements in court were made.

Extending Haifa will be difficult, due to obstacle penetration issues on runway 16, and the new port being built affecting runway 34.

Haifa used to have 2 orthogonal runways, but one was destroyed many years ago.

Of course

Simon Street can be moved to accommodate a small extension on the NW end of the runway.

How much more will this cut tourism to Eilat?

Eilat’s problem
 

That is correct, the SDV/ETM situation just adds insult to injury.

Discussed partially here (in Hebrew): https://www.globes.co.il/news/articl...did=1001291639

Long of the short is that this will have a much bigger impact on Eilat residents than on tourism because already 85% of tourists choose to drive, and already flying wasn't convenient with ETH closing, and that Eilat can't complain too much about tourist drops without improving their own offering.

Indeed. What Israeli in his right mind will pay 175$ ( on average) return airfare pp for a family of 3-4 people and forgo the relative convenience of their own private vehicle? Eilat will now of course plunge from bad to worse with more congestion and parking issues. What a dump of a place.

I assume a lot of Israelis, for a weekend, are going to Cyprus instead?