El Al announced it will halt all daytime flights to Eilat starting Thursday, two weeks after resuming flights based on an understanding with government aviation officials that a solution would be found to a new landing path that El Al considers too dangerous to use.
Terrorist attacks from the neighboring Sinai Peninsula have occasionally targeted Eilat with missiles, and El Al stated Tuesday, “We will not compromise the safety of our passengers. The new flight path to Eilat does not offer the proper safety level for civil aviation.”
El Al said it will continue its nighttime flight and will provide bus service to daytime passengers or refund their money for tickets already bought.
El Al suspended and then resumed flights to El Al two earlier this month after the Civil Aviation Authority allowed the airline to use the regular landing paths while a study was carried out on the new path.
Aviation officials have not changed the route, and El Al is standing by its position, although other airlines are using the new landing path.