Kiryat Shmona Airport Explained

Kiryat Shmona Airport
Iata:KSW
Icao:LLKS
Type:Public
Owner:Disputed
Operator:Metailey Kiryat Shmona Inc.
City-Served:Kiryat Shmona
Elevation-F:376
Elevation-M:115
Pushpin Map:Israel northeast#Israel
Pushpin Label:KSW
Pushpin Mapsize:280
Coordinates:33.2167°N 35.5967°W
R1-Number:03/21
R1-Length-F:4,423
R1-Length-M:1348
R1-Surface:Asphalt

Kiryat Shmona Airport (Hebrew: שדה התעופה קריית שמונה) is a public Israeli airport located 2 km east of the northern town of Kiryat Shmona. The airport is operated by Kiryat Shmona Travellers Inc.

History

Its history was checkered based on lack of economic viability and local political differences. Arkia handled domestic flights until end of 2003,[1] [2] when it closed down due to a lack of passenger traffic.[3] Now rights to fly a domestic route to and from the airport are held by Tamir Airways,[4] while rights to operate the landing strip are owned by a separate company that is in a dispute with Tamir Airways. In 2006, the new airport terminal was opened. Tamir Airways announced that it would stop flying to Upper Galilee shortly before the Second Lebanon War broke out, but they changed their mind because they saw it as a "mission of national importance".[5] Nevertheless, they ceased their (twice a day) flights to Sde Dov Airport on June 1, 2007. The next closest airport is Ben Ya'akov near Rosh Pina, 30 km south.

Notes and References

  1. News: Tamir Company criticises the state: Mofaz and Siterman working illegally. Hebrew. Nfc.co.il . 15 March 2007 . 5 April 2007 .
  2. News: Tel Aviv-Rosh Pina flights to be renewed. . 17 January 2006 . 17 January 2006.
  3. News: News collection: From the North to the South . Hebrew . . 12 March 2007 . 5 April 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070324105426/http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0%2C7340%2CL-3375023%2C00.html . 24 March 2007 .
  4. News: Zohar Blumenkrantz. The Movement for Quality Government gets involved in the power struggle over the running of Kiryat Shmona airport. Hebrew. The Marker. 21 January 2007. 5 April 2007.
  5. News: Zohar Blumenkrantz . 17 May 2007 . Airline to stop flights to Galilee as of June 1 (2007). 2007-05-19.