US military planes harming Israeli commercial activity, airports chief says

AI Summary

Military operations involving U.S. planes at Ben-Gurion International Airport are severely limiting commercial flight capacity, with 70% of airport activity restricted. The airport authority warns this reduced capacity could cause heavy flight cancellations during the summer.

JERUSALEM, May 28 (Reuters) - Ben-Gurion International Airport, Israel's main air gateway near Tel Aviv, is operating at about one-third of capacity due to the presence of U.S. refuelling aircraft, threatening heavy flight cancellations this summer, the head of the Israel Airports Authority said on Thursday. Sharon Kedmi, director general of the authority, told Kan's Reshet Bet radio station that 70% of activity at the airport is limited because of the space and resources being taken up by American military activity.