Airline receives first permission under new rules to fly stranded Israelis home

The Israir carrier has been granted permission by the Transport Authority for the first flight bringing stranded Israelis back to Israel following a government decision to reopen Ben Gurion Airport.

The airline will pilot passengers from Frankfurt to Tel Aviv on Saturday night, landing at Ben Gurion on Sunday morning, when the new rules apply.

Yesterday night, the high-level coronavirus cabinet approved a plan to more fully reopen the airport ahead of the upcoming elections, following criticism of the government panel that has been deciding which Israelis may enter the country amid the ongoing closure of the airport.

The move increases the number of Israelis permitted to enter the country to 3,000 per day starting March 7 and scraps the need to get entry permission from the Exceptions Committee.