On 31 March 2023, the end of an era arrives in Israel when a ban on four-engine aircraft takes effect in the country, the Israel Airports Authority (IAA) announced Thursday.
IAA officials have asked that the airlines of Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) – Israel’s main international airport, located 12 miles southeast of Tel Aviv – begin preparing now for the impending ban.
Currently, no passenger airlines utilize quadjets for service to Israel (El-Al retired its fleet of 747s in November 2019). Boeing 747 freighters still make an occasional appearance at TLV.
The ban will prevent any future Boeing 747, Airbus A340, or Airbus A380 service to the country. However, Israel’s National Aviation Administration says it will grant waivers in “exceptional cases.”
Why is Israel Banning Quadjets?
According to IAA officials, the extraordinary directive is part of the authority’s sustainability plan “to improve the environmental climate and reduce aircraft noise in the communities affected by the airport’s operations.”
The impending ban could affect Emirates’ expansion plans at TLV. As reported by travel blog site DansDeals, rumors of an Emirates upgauge on its twice-daily Dubai-Tel Aviv route could be put to rest by the ban. Emirates currently serves TLV with the 777-300ER.
But does a ban on quadjets really help sustainability efforts? And will this be a trend in the years to come at airports around the world?
For now, IAA CEO Hagi Topolansky thinks a ban will benefit Israel in the long-run.
“An element of improving service is also the ability to improve the environmental climate,” said Topolansky. “The increase in passenger and aircraft traffic in the airport is an environmental challenge. I intend to lead the aviation world in environmental quality and sustainability. Stopping the landing of four-engine planes in Israel is the first step in a broader plan that is being formulated.”
Will Other Countries Follow Israel’s Lead?
Israel’s national airline EL AL brought the Boeing 747 to Israel for the first time in 1971. Today, EL AL no longer operates the 747 and only a few cargo carriers occasionally bring in quadjets to TLV.
But Israel is far from the only country where spotting a quadjet is becoming less common. In an age where the chances of seeing a four-engine plane in the wild are rapidly diminishing, one could argue that Israel’s impending ban on four-engine aircraft is more bark than bite.
It will be interesting to see whether any other countries institute a similar plan in the name of environmental sustainability.
