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98-689: Under the brand Tour Bus, the company provides buses to transport passengers to and from flights in the Ben Gurion International Airport . This article about an Israeli company is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This bus operating company article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about transport in Israel is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Ben Gurion International Airport Ben Gurion International Airport ( IATA : TLV , ICAO : LLBG ), commonly known by

196-677: A 'slash and run' attack was developed by Lieutenant-General Claire Lee Chennault of the Flying Tigers but was too late for the Allied pilots serving in this campaign. Two days before the attack on Malaya, Hudsons of No 1 Squadron RAAF spotted the Japanese invasion fleet but, given uncertainty about the ships' destination and instructions to avoid offensive operations until attacks were made against friendly territory, Sir Robert Brooke-Popham , Commander-in-Chief of British Far East Command , did not allow

294-782: A British intelligence officer, Captain Patrick Stanley Vaughan Heenan , also provided intelligence and assistance. Prior to hostilities Japanese intelligence officers like Iwaichi Fujiwara had established covert intelligence offices (or Kikans ) that linked up with the Malay and Indian pro-independence organisations such as Kesatuan Melayu Muda and the Indian Independence League . The Japanese gave these movements financial support in return for their members providing intelligence and later assistance in determining Allied troop movements, strengths, and dispositions prior to

392-485: A Japanese raid which disabled or shot down all but one. The sole surviving bomber, a Bristol Blenheim flown by Arthur Scarf , did manage to bomb Singora. No 62 squadron had been moved from Alor Star to Butterworth, and on 10 December it was moved to Taiping. On 10 December, No 21 Squadron RAAF was withdrawn from Sungai Petani to Ipoh, where it was joined on 13 December by No 453 Squadron RAAF. No 453 Squadron had been sent to protect Force Z on 10 December, but arrived after

490-420: A conversation to further assess the person's intent. Plainclothes armed personnel patrol the area outside the building, and hidden surveillance cameras operate at all times. Inside the building, both uniformed and plainclothes security officers are on constant patrol. Departing passengers are personally questioned by security agents even before arriving at the check-in desk. This interview can last as little as

588-506: A group of twenty Puerto Rican tourists who had just arrived in Israel. The only terrorist who survived was Kozo Okamoto , who received a life sentence but was released in 1985 as part of a prisoner exchange with the PFLP-GC . More buildings and runways were added over the years, but with the onset of mass immigration from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union in the 1980s and 90s, as well as

686-530: A hall equipped for press conferences, a deluxe lounge, special meeting rooms equipped with state-of-the-art business facilities and a designated lounge for flight crews who spend time at the airport between flights. It was announced in January 2008, however, that the IAA planned to construct a new 1,000-square-metre (11,000 sq ft) VIP terminal next to Terminal 3. Terminal 1 was closed in 2003 and reopened in 2007 as

784-445: A large, currently-unused tract of land in the northern part of the airport's property (north of runway 08/26) where additional aircraft maintenance facilities would also be built. In the meantime, to ease immediate overcrowding problems at Terminal 3's landside terminal, in the spring of 2018 a temporary large, air-conditioned tent was erected adjacent to Terminal 3 housing 25 check-in counters and security screening facilities. This tent

882-436: A long-term expansion plan for Ben Gurion Airport estimated to cost approximately NIS 9 billion. Plans include further expansion of Terminal 1, a new dedicated domestic flights terminal, a major expansion of Terminal 3's landside terminal which would add approximately 90 additional check-in counters, construction of Concourse A, and additional aircraft parking spaces and ramps. In addition, air cargo facilities would be relocated to

980-417: A means of alleviating some of Ben Gurion's safety and capacity concerns. These plans were approved in 1997 and construction began in 2010. The extension of runway 03/21 allows the airport to operate in an "open V" configuration, allowing for simultaneous landings and take offs on runways 08/26 and 03/21 and thus more than double the number of aircraft movements which can be handled at peak times, while increasing

1078-626: A minimum of fuel and run on high-octane aviation petrol where available. The remaining offensive aircraft consisted of four RAF squadrons of Bristol Blenheim MkI and MKIV light bombers ( 27 , 34 , 60 , 62 Squadrons), two RAAF squadrons ( 1 and 8 ) of Lockheed Hudsons , and two RAF squadrons of Vickers Vildebeest biplane torpedo bombers ( 36 and 100 ). The Vildebeests were obsolete and due to be replaced by modern Bristol Beaufort torpedo bombers. No 36 Squadron had some Fairey Albacore biplanes. There were also two Consolidated Catalina flying boats of 205 Squadron and three Catalinas from

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1176-463: A minute, or as long as an hour if a passenger is selected for additional screening. Luggage and body searches may be conducted. Japanese invasion of Malaya [REDACTED] ML-KNIL [REDACTED] 25th Army 1941 1942 Second Sino-Japanese War Taishō period Shōwa period Asia-Pacific Mediterranean and Middle East Other campaigns Coups The Malayan campaign , referred to by Japanese sources as

1274-438: A new ILS serving the runway was activated. The main runway was closed from 2011 until early 2014 in order to accommodate the extension of runway 03/21 and other construction activity in the vicinity of the runway. When it was originally built, the short runway (direction 03/21 ) was 1,780 m (5,840 ft) long, making it too short to accommodate most mainline passenger jets. At the time it mainly served cargo aircraft of

1372-444: A post office, was planned to be a draw for non-flyers too. On the same level as the mall, passengers enter passport control and the security check. Planes taking off and landing can be viewed from a distinctive tilted glass wall. The arrivals hall is located on the ground floor where there are also 20 additional check-in counters (serving Star Alliance airlines). Car rental counters are located in an intermediate level situated between

1470-401: A preliminary security checkpoint before entering the airport compound. Armed guards spot-check the vehicles by looking into cars, taxis and boarding buses, exchanging a few words with the driver and passengers. Armed security personnel stationed at the terminal entrances keep a close watch on those who enter the buildings. If someone arouses their suspicion or looks nervous, they may strike up

1568-515: A route over the Arctic Ocean . The flight was projected to last 17 hours and 40 minutes. Ramon Airport , an international airport near the southern Israeli city of Eilat , serves as a diversion airport for Ben Gurion Airport. Prior to the opening of Terminal 3, Terminal 1 was the main terminal building at Ben Gurion Airport. At that time, the departures check-in area was located on the ground floor. From there, passengers proceeded upstairs to

1666-562: A terminal for passengers arriving from Asia during the SARS epidemic. Another use for the terminal was for the memorial ceremonies upon the arrival of the casket of Col. Ilan Ramon after the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in February 2003 and the arrival of Elhanan Tannenbaum and the caskets of three Israeli soldiers from Lebanon in January 2004. In December 2017, the IAA announced

1764-423: A total of 40 gates divided among four concourses (B, C, D, and E), each with 8 jet bridge -equipped gates (numbered 2 through 9), as well as two stand gates (bus bays 1 and 1A) from which passengers are ferried to aircraft. Two gates in concourse E utilize dual jet bridges for more efficient processing of very large widebody aircraft. Concourses B, C, and D were opened when terminal 3 opened in 2004, while concourse E

1862-421: A year. Although Terminal 1 was closed between 2003 and 2007, the building served as a venue for various events and large-scale exhibitions including the " Bezalel Academy of Arts Centennial Exhibition" which was held there in 2006. The renovations for the terminal were designed by Yosef Assa with three individual atmospheric themes. Firstly, the public halls have a Land-of-Israel character with walls painted in

1960-419: Is equipped with an ILS and mostly handles landings from north to south. The longest runway at the airfield, 4,062 m (13,327 ft), and the main take off runway from east to west (direction 08/26 ), is referred to as "the quiet runway" since jets taking off in this direction produce less noise pollution for surrounding residents. A 24 million NIS renovation project completed in February 2006 reinforced

2058-509: Is followed by a taxiway . Most landings take place on this runway from West to East, approaching from the Mediterranean Sea over southern Tel Aviv. During inclement weather, it may also be used for takeoffs (Direction 12). A 17 million NIS renovation project was completed in November 2007 which reinforced the runway and made it suitable for future wide-body aircraft . In September 2008,

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2156-539: The 2014 conflict with Gaza , several airlines banned their flights to the airport for a couple of days. In October 2023, with the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war , the number of airlines that flew into the airport dropped to just 7. By February 2024, only 45 airlines flew into the airport. The furthest nonstop flight to have departed the airport was a private Airbus A340-500 owned by billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson who flew on 2 January 2017 to Honolulu on

2254-486: The Hebrew -language acronym Natbag ( נתב״ג ‎ ), is the main international airport of Israel . Situated on outskirts north of the city of Lod and directly south of the city of Or Yehuda , it is the busiest airport in the country. It is located 45 kilometres (28 mi) to the northwest of Jerusalem and 20 kilometres (12 mi) to the southeast of Tel Aviv . It was known as Lod Airport until 1973, when it

2352-471: The Indian Army and several British Army battalions. The Japanese quickly isolated individual Indian units defending the coastline, before concentrating their forces to surround the defenders and force their surrender. The Japanese forces held a slight advantage in numbers in northern Malaya and were significantly superior in close air support , armour, co-ordination, tactics, and experience, having fought in

2450-613: The Israel Airports Authority . The head offices of the Civil Aviation Authority and Challenge Airlines IL are located in the Airport City office park nearby the airport. Israel Aerospace Industries maintains its head office on airport grounds as well as extensive aviation construction and repair facilities. The closest runway to terminals 1 and 3 is 12/30 , 3,112 m (10,210 ft) in length, and

2548-524: The Israeli Air Force and as a taxiway for runway 26. However, by late 2011, the runway was closed and most of the activity in the military apron to the east of the runway was permanently relocated to the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel. In late May 2014 the runway was reopened after having been rebuilt and lengthened to 2,772 m (9,094 ft), allowing it to handle most types of aircraft. It

2646-533: The Lanchester 6x4 Armoured Car , Marmon-Herrington Armoured Car , Universal Carrier and only 23 obsolete Mk VIB light tanks (in the 100th Light Tank Squadron of the Indian Army), none of which were sufficiently armed for armoured warfare . They had just over 250 combat aircraft; half of these would be lost in the first few days of combat. When the Japanese invaded Malaya it was part of expansive attack all across

2744-691: The Malay Operation ( 馬来作戦 , Maree Sakusen ) , was a military campaign fought by Allied and Axis forces in Malaya , from 8 December 1941 – 15 February 1942 during the Second World War . It was dominated by land battles between British Commonwealth army units and the Imperial Japanese Army , with minor skirmishes at the beginning of the campaign between British Commonwealth and Royal Thai Police . The Japanese had air and naval supremacy from

2842-462: The Middle East due to its passenger experience and its high level of security; while it has been the target of several terrorist attacks, no attempt to hijack a plane departing from Ben Gurion Airport has ever succeeded. The airport is of great importance to Israel as it is one of the few convenient entry points into the country for most travellers. As it was Israel's only international airport, it

2940-631: The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force at Singapore. The squadrons were beset by numerous problems including inadequate spare parts and a lack of support staff, airfields that were difficult to defend against air attack with no early warning of impending attacks, a lack of a clear and coherent command structure, a Japanese spy in the Army air liaison staff (Heenan), and antagonism between RAF and RAAF squadrons and personnel. The Japanese through their network of informants knew

3038-556: The Sde Dov airfield (SDV) on the city's northern coast. By the mid-1960s, 14 international airlines were landing at the airport. The airport's name was changed from Lod to Ben Gurion International Airport in 1973 to honour Israel's first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion , who died that year. While Ben Gurion Airport has been a target of Palestinian attacks, the adoption of strict security precautions has ensured that no aircraft departing from Ben Gurion airport has ever been hijacked . On

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3136-447: The Second division of Squadron 5 , Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force was deployed to Singapore, contributing to the Allied cause before being recalled to Java on 18 January. Several Dutch pilots—including Jacob van Helsdingen and August Deibel —responded to a number of air raids over Singapore while stationed at Kallang Airport. They claimed a total of six aircraft, particularly

3234-609: The 5th Air Corps took part in the Malaya Campaign. In total there were 354 Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (IJAAS) first line aircraft involved together with the 110 Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) aircraft. The Army units were variously equipped with fighters: Nakajima Ki-27 Nate , Nakajima Ki-43 Oscar , Mitsubishi Ki-51 Sonia ; bombers: Kawasaki Ki-48 Lily , Mitsubishi Ki-21 Sally , Mitsubishi Ki-30 Ann ; and reconnaissance: Mitsubishi Ki-15 Babs , Mitsubishi Ki-46 Dinah . Most Japanese pilots of

3332-414: The Allied ground troops and shipping completely open to air attack and further weakened the defensive position. The Genzan Air Group sank Prince of Wales and Repulse on 10 December, which also established Japanese naval supremacy. In comparison, the Japanese army enjoyed close air support from the start of the campaign, and sought to capture bases for their air support to operate from. On 25 December,

3430-713: The British Indian Army, was implemented on 8 December, but the troops were easily defeated by the Royal Thai Police and the Japanese 5th Division. Force Z of the Royal Navy ( battleship HMS  Prince of Wales , battlecruiser HMS  Repulse , and four destroyers , under the command of Admiral Sir Tom Phillips ) had arrived right before the outbreak of hostilities. Japanese aircraft based in Indochina sank Prince of Wales and Repulse on 10 December, leaving

3528-651: The German threat in the Middle East subsided, Aviron Aviation Company initiated service four times a week between Lydda and Haifa. The first civilian transatlantic route, New York City to Lydda Airport, was inaugurated by TWA in 1946. The British gave up the airport at the end of April 1948. Soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces captured the airport on 10 July 1948, in Operation Danny , transferring control to

3626-887: The IJAAS units and at least a quarter of the IJNAS pilots had combat experience against the Chinese and the Soviets. They were all very well trained. Prior to the commencement of hostilities the Allies in Malaya and Singapore had four fighter squadrons: 21 and 453 RAAF , 243 RAF , and 488 RNZAF . They were equipped with the Brewster Buffalo , a plane that aviation historian Dan Ford characterized as pathetic. Its engine had fuel starvation problems and poor supercharger performance at higher altitudes. Maneuverability

3724-539: The Japanese invasion fleet at Endau on 26 January, suffering heavy losses. The surviving aircraft were evacuated to Sumatra on 31 January. In mid-January, the three Sentai of the 5th Air Corps returned to Thailand to participate in the Burma Campaign and the 3rd Air Corps turned its attention to the Netherlands East Indies. In the end, more than 60 Brewster aircraft were shot down in combat, 40 destroyed on

3822-690: The Japanese only had a cluster of dated foreign and indigenous aircraft. Japanese pilots were also underrated, considered unlikely to make particularly good pilots. Prior to the invasion on 8 December there were 75 Allied aircraft stationed in northern Malaya and 83 in Singapore. The only fighter squadron in northern Malaya was No 21 Squadron RAAF that was equipped with 12 Brewster Buffalos. The Japanese had at least 459 aircraft available. The Japanese Navy's 22nd Air Flotilla (22nd Kōkū-Sentai) with 110 aircraft and commanded by Vice Admiral Matsunaga Sadaichi operating out of three air bases near Saigon took part in

3920-818: The Maur River. All the Martins and one of the Wirraways were lost. No 243 Squadron RAF, equipped with Buffalo fighters, was disbanded on 21 January and 232 Squadron became operational on 22 January, the same day the Genzan Air Group attacked Kallang Airport. 232 Squadron thus had the first losses and victories for the Hurricane in Southeast Asia that day. Most of the bombers were moved to Sumatra midway through January. Aircraft from 36, 62, and 100 Squadrons unsuccessfully attacked

4018-789: The Nakajima Ki-27 "Nate". However, the appearance of ever greater numbers of Japanese fighters, including markedly superior types such as the Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar" soon overwhelmed the Buffalo pilots, both in the air and on the ground. While contesting the Japanese landings on Malaya , Hudsons from No. 1 Squadron RAAF based at Kota Bharu became the first aircraft to make an attack in the Pacific War , sinking Japanese transport ship Awazisan Maru , while also damaging Ayatosan Maru and Sakura Maru off

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4116-620: The Nakajima Ki-27 Nate, which fared poorly in Malaya. On 3 January 1942, 51 disassembled Hurricane Mk IIBs arrived in Singapore along with 24 pilots (many of whom were veterans of the Battle of Britain) who had been transferred to there with the intention of forming the nucleus of five squadrons. The 151st Maintenance unit assembled the 51 Hurricanes within two days and of these, 21 were ready for operational service within three days. The Hurricanes were fitted with bulky 'Vokes' dust filters under

4214-644: The Pacific and South East Asia, stretching from Pearl Harbor and islands in the Pacific, the Philippines , Hong Kong , Burma , Singapore , Borneo , and Thailand . Between the wars, the British military strategy in the Far East was undermined by a lack of attention and funding. In 1937, Major-General William Dobbie , General Officer Commanding (GOC) Malaya (1935–39), looked at Malaya's defences and reported that during

4312-688: The Second Sino-Japanese War. The Allies had no tanks, which had put them at a severe disadvantage. The Japanese also used bicycle infantry and light tanks , which allowed swift movement of their forces overland through terrain covered with thick tropical rainforest , criss-crossed by native paths. Although the Japanese had not brought bicycles with them (to speed the disembarkation process), they knew from their intelligence that suitable machines were plentiful in Malaya and quickly confiscated what they needed from civilians and retailers. A replacement for Operation Matador, named Operation Krohcol by

4410-568: The Terminal 3 project was known, was scheduled for completion prior to 2000 in order to handle a massive influx of pilgrims expected for the Millennium celebrations . This deadline was not met due to higher than anticipated costs and a series of work stoppages in the wake of the bankruptcy of the main Turkish contractor. The project eventually cost an estimated one billion US dollars. Due to the proximity of

4508-869: The United States. From 1940 to 1941, following the Japanese takeover of French colonies the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands imposed embargoes on supplying oil and war materials to Japan. The object of the embargoes was to assist the Chinese and encourage the Japanese to halt military action in China. The Japanese considered that pulling out of China would result in a loss of face and decided instead to take military action against US, British and Dutch territories in South East Asia. The Japanese forces for

4606-410: The aircraft. The walk is assisted by escalators and moving walkways . The upper level departures hall, with an area of over 10,000 m (110,000 sq ft), is equipped with 110 check-in counters and as well as flight information display systems . A small shopping mall, known as Buy & Bye, is open to both travellers and the general public. The mall, which includes shops, restaurants and

4704-531: The airport to the country's largest population centres and the problem of noise pollution , another international airport is being considered to be built elsewhere in the country, such as the new Ilan and Assaf Ramon Airport in Southern Israel. The overall layout of Terminal 3 is similar to that of airports in Europe and North America, with multiple levels and considerable distances to walk after disembarking from

4802-407: The airport's premises were built and removed. The main runway (12/30) is the oldest surviving runway in the airport, with the quiet (08/26) and short (03/21) runways having been built in the late 1960s and 1970s. Since very little commercial traffic could operate on the short runway, for approximately forty years, the airport mostly relied on runways 12/30 and 08/26. This presented a problem, however:

4900-406: The coast of Kota Bharu, for the loss of two Hudsons, at 0118h local time (an hour before the attack on Pearl Harbor ). The Squadron was transferred to Kuantan the following day. By 9 December, Japanese fighters were operating out of Singora and Patani, Thailand, and Kota Bharu airfield was in Japanese hands. The Allies tried to attack Singora airfield. The bombers were intercepted on take-off by

4998-468: The coast of Malaya on 10 December 1941, losing one aircraft and its crew during the battle. On 22 January 1942, bombers from the Genzan Air Group attacked Kallang Airport in Singapore , and subsequently provided air support for Japanese offensives in Malaya including the landings at Endau . The Japanese 3rd Air Corps ( 飛行集団 , Hikō Shudan ) and three Air Combat Groups ( 飛行戦隊 , Hikō Sentai ) of

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5096-419: The colors of Israel's Judean , Jerusalem and Galilee mountains. The departure hall is given an atmosphere of vacation and leisure, whilst the arrivals hall is given a more urban theme as passengers return to the city. In February 2006, the Israel Airports Authority announced plans to invest 4.3 million NIS in a new VIP wing for private jet passengers and crews, as well as others interested in avoiding

5194-405: The convoy to be bombed. On the first day, the focus of the Japanese air assault was on the Allied air bases. Mitsubishi Ki-21 Sally s from the 7th Hikodan bombed the airfields at Alor Star , Sungai Petani, and Butterworth . A total of 60 Allied aircraft were lost on the first day, primarily on the ground. Those Allied fighters that did manage to engage the Japanese performed adequately against

5292-564: The defence of the whole peninsula, and that the naval base alone would not be sufficient to deter a Japanese invasion. Military planners concluded that the desired Malayan air force strength would be 300–500 aircraft, but this was never reached because of the higher priorities in the allocation of men and material for Britain and the Middle East . The defence strategy for Malaya rested on two basic assumptions: first, that there would be sufficient early warning of an attack to allow for reinforcement of British troops, and second, that American help

5390-407: The departing and arriving passenger halls. Terminal 3 has two synagogues . After the main security check, passengers wait for their flights in the star-shaped duty-free rotunda. A variety of cafes, restaurants and duty-free shops are located there, open 24 hours a day, as well as a synagogue, banking facilities, a transit hall for connecting passengers and a desk for VAT refunds. Terminal 3 has

5488-513: The departures concourse of Terminal 3 from which they boarded their flights. All incoming flights for airlines operating out of Terminal 1 were handled in Terminal 3. However, beginning on 19 June 2017 and following several months of renovations, Terminal 1 passengers began being bussed directly to their flights from Terminal 1, although incoming passengers continue to be handled in Terminal 3. The renovations to Terminal 1's boarding area included adding duty-free shops, restaurants and cafes. The terminal

5586-466: The distance vehicles must travel to access the airport's main terminal from the direction of Tel Aviv and other points north and west of the airport. The Airport City development, a large office park, is located east of the main airport property. It is at the junction of the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv metropolitan areas. The head office of El Al is located at Ben Gurion Airport, as is the head office of

5684-824: The domestic terminal following extensive renovations, and in July 2008, to cater for summer charter and low-cost flights. It remained open for these charter and low-cost flights for the 2008 summer season then temporarily closed in October 2008, when it underwent further renovation and reopened again in the summer of 2009, when it was expected to reach a three-month capacity of 600,000 passengers on international flights. As of 2010, several low-cost carriers ' international flights were operating out of Terminal 1 year-round including Vueling flights to Barcelona and easyJet flights to London (Luton), Manchester , Geneva , and Basel . In 2015, due to increased demand and following another expansion of

5782-490: The east coast of Malaya exposed, allowing the Japanese to continue their invasion. As a lower-priority theatre, the Allies had comparatively few modern aircraft to challenge the Japanese. In addition the Allies did not consider Japanese aircraft a significant threat. In 1941 the Allies assumed that Japan would only have a few hundred poor quality outdated aircraft. The respected Janes All the World's Aircraft for 1941 indicated that

5880-463: The existing runways and terminals also significantly reduced taxi times at the airport. Due to the threat of missiles, the runway directions are restricted to avoid flying over the war zone in Gaza . 08/26 is restricted to departing flights, and 03/21 is restricted to arriving flights. Security at Ben Gurion International Airport operates on several levels. All cars, taxis, buses and trucks go through

5978-409: The fact that these two runways intersect near their western end creates a crisscross pattern between aircraft landing and taking off. This pattern reduces the number of aircraft which can arrive to and depart from the airport and has detrimental safety implications as well. With passenger traffic projected to increase, plans were drawn in the 1980s and 90s for the extension of runways 03/21 and 08/26 as

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6076-438: The global increase of international business travel, the existing facilities became painfully inadequate, prompting the design of a new state-of-the-art terminal that could also accommodate the expected tourism influx for the 2000 millennium celebrations. The decision to go ahead with the project was reached in January 1994, but the new terminal, known as Terminal 3, only opened its doors a decade later, on 2 November 2004. During

6174-483: The hotel was published by the IAA in late 2017. When the terminal was built, it was said to have a capacity for up to 12 million passengers a year. In 2023, 25 million passengers are expected to pass through Ben Gurion Airport. Terminal 2 was inaugurated in 1969 when Arkia resumed operations at the airport after the Six-Day War . Terminal 2 served domestic flights until 20 February 2007 when these services moved into

6272-411: The initial attacks on Malaya. The 22nd Air Flotilla included the 22nd (Genzan) , Bihoro, and Kanoya Air Groups (or Kōkūtai ). They were equipped with 33 Type 96 Mitsubishi G3M 1 'Nell' bombers. The Air Flotilla also had 25 Type 96 Mitsubishi A5M4 'Claude' fighters available. The Genzen Air Group was a key participant in the sinking of the British capital ships Prince of Wales and Repulse off

6370-594: The invasion were assembled in 1941 on Hainan Island and in French Indochina . This troop build-up was noticed by the Allies and, when asked, the Japanese advised that it related to its operations in China. When the Japanese invaded, they had over 200 tanks , consisting of the Type 95 Ha-Go light tank, Type 97 Chi-Ha and Type 89 I-Go medium tanks and Type 97 Te-Ke tankettes. In support they had nearly 800 aircraft available. Commonwealth troops were equipped with

6468-589: The invasion. Through the operation of these networks prior to the invasion the Japanese knew where the Commonwealth forces were based and their unit strengths, had good maps of Malaya, and had local guides available to provide them with directions. In November 1941, the British became aware of the large scale buildup of Japanese troops in French Indo-China. Thailand was seen to be under threat from this build-up as well as Malaya. British strategists had foreseen

6566-411: The main departures hall, which contained passport control , duty-free shops , VIP lounges , one synagogue and boarding gates. At the gates, travelers would be required to descend a flight of stairs to return to the ground floor where waiting shuttle buses transported them to airplanes on the tarmac . The arrivals hall with passport control, luggage carousels, duty-free pick-up and customs was located at

6664-583: The main terminal. VIP ground services already exist, but a substantial increase in users has justified expanding the facilities, which will also boost airport revenues. The IAA released figures showing significant growth in private jet flights (4,059, a 36.5% increase from 2004) as well as private jet users (14,613, a 46.2% increase from 2004). The new VIP wing, operated by an outside licensee, will be located in an upgraded and expanded section of Terminal 1. All flight procedures (security check, passport control and customs ) will be handled here. This wing will include

6762-538: The monsoon season, from October to March, landings could be made by an enemy on the east coast and bases could be established in Siam (Thailand). He predicted that landings could be made at Songkhla and Pattani in Siam, and Kota Bharu in Malaya. He recommended large reinforcements to be sent immediately. His predictions turned out to be correct, but his recommendations were ignored. The British government's plans relied primarily on

6860-567: The newly declared State of Israel . In 1948 the Israelis changed the official name of the airport from Lydda to Lod (the nearby town's name in Hebrew), the airport's name becoming Lod Airport . Flights resumed on 24 November 1948. That year, 40,000 passengers passed through the terminal. By 1952, the number had risen to 100,000 a month. Within a decade, air traffic increased to the point where local flights had to be redirected to Tel Aviv's other airport,

6958-405: The northern coast of Malaya at Kota Bharu and started advancing down the eastern coast of Malaya. The Japanese 5th Division also landed at Pattani and Songkhla in Thailand , then moved south into western Malaya. French Indo-China was still under French administration, and had little option but to co-operate with the Japanese. The French authorities therefore submitted to the Japanese military using

7056-568: The nose and were armed with 12, rather than eight, machine guns. The additional weight and drag made them slow to climb and unwieldy to maneuver at altitude, although they were more effective bomber killers. The recently arrived pilots were formed into 232 Squadron . In addition, 488 (NZ) Squadron, a Buffalo squadron, converted to Hurricanes. On 18 January, the two squadrons formed the basis of 226 Group . The following day 453 squadron provided an escort of eight aircraft for five Wirraways and four NEI Glenn Martin bombers , attacking Japanese troops on

7154-406: The opening days of the campaign. For the British, Indian, Australian , and Malayan forces defending the colony, the campaign was a total disaster. The operation is notable for the Japanese use of bicycle infantry , which allowed troops to carry more equipment and swiftly move through thick jungle terrain. Royal Engineers , equipped with demolition charges, destroyed over a hundred bridges during

7252-501: The other hand, airliners hijacked from other countries have landed at Ben Gurion, contributing to two major incidents in the airport's history. In the first incident, on 8 May 1972, four Palestinian Black September terrorists hijacked a Sabena flight en route from Vienna and forced it to land at Ben Gurion airport. Sayeret Matkal commandos, including Benjamin Netanyahu , led by Ehud Barak (both future Israeli Prime Ministers) stormed

7350-570: The overall level of air safety in and around the airport. Construction took four years and cost 1 billion NIS (financed from the Israeli Airports Authority budget) and was completed 29 May 2014. It included paving 22 kilometres (14 mi) of runways and taxiways, using more than 1.5 million tons of asphalt, laying one million meters of runway lighting cables, 50,000 metres (160,000 ft) of high-voltage power lines and 10,000 light fixtures. The construction of several new taxiways between

7448-571: The plane, killing two of the hijackers and capturing the other two. One passenger was killed. Later that month, on 30 May 1972, in an attack known as the Lod Airport massacre , 24 people were killed and 80 injured when three members of the Japanese Red Army sprayed machine gun fire into the passenger arrival area. The victims included Aharon Katzir , a prominent protein biophysicist and brother of Israel's 4th president. Those injured included

7546-530: The possibility of Thailand's Kra isthmus being used by the Japanese to invade Malaya. To counteract this potential threat, plans for a pre-emptive invasion of southern Thailand, named Operation Matador , had been drawn up. By the time the invasion became highly likely the British decided not to use them for political reasons. The Malayan campaign began when the 25th Army , under the command of Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita , invaded Malaya on 8 December 1941. Japanese troops launched an amphibious assault on

7644-467: The refurbished Terminal 1. Due to increased traffic in the late 1990s and over-capacity reached at Terminal 1, an international section was added until Terminal 3 was opened. After the transfer of domestic services to Terminal 1, Terminal 2 was demolished in order to make room for additional air freight handling areas. This terminal, built in 1999, was meant to handle the crowds expected in 2000, but never officially opened. To date, it has only been used as

7742-450: The retreat, yet this did little to delay the Japanese. By the time the Japanese had captured Singapore , they had suffered 14,768 casualties; Allied losses totaled 130,246, including around 7,500 to 8,000 killed, 11,000+ wounded and 120,000+ missing or captured. By 1941 the Japanese had been engaged for four years in trying to subjugate China . They were heavily reliant on imported materials for their military forces, particularly oil from

7840-534: The route. Misr Airwork, which had suspended flights upon the British declaration of war, resumed the weekly Cairo—Lydda—Nicosia service in May 1940. In 1943, the airport was renamed " RAF Station Lydda " and continued to serve as a major airfield for military air transport and aircraft ferry operations between military bases in Europe , Africa , the Middle East (mainly Iraq and Persia ) and South/ Southeast Asia . In 1944, as

7938-408: The runway and made it suitable for wide-body aircraft such as Airbus A380 . The original layout of the airfield as designed by the British in the 1930s included four intersecting 800 m runways suitable for the piston engined aircraft of the day. However, none of this original layout is visible nowadays since as usage increased and aircraft types and needs changed over the years various runways on

8036-468: The service to Lydda in 1937. Imperial Airways , too, used Lydda as a refueling stop en route to India. During World War II , Imperial Airways and later British Overseas Airways Corporation continued the service to Lydda until the fall of France in June 1940. When the Japanese military advanced into Burma and Malaya in February 1942, KLM curtailed its route to Batavia and made Lydda the eastern terminus of

8134-586: The south end of the building. The apron buses transferred passengers and crews to and from the terminal to airplanes which were parked on the tarmac over 500 m (1,600 ft) away. After Terminal 3 opened, Terminal 1 was closed except for domestic flights to the airport in Eilat and government flights such as special immigrant flights from North America and Africa. Chartered flights organised by Nefesh B'Nefesh carrying immigrants from North America and England use this terminal for their landing ceremonies several times

8232-485: The stationing of a strong fleet at the Singapore Naval Base in the event of any enemy hostility, in order to defend both Britain's Far Eastern possessions and the route to Australia . A strong naval presence was also thought to act as a deterrent against possible aggressors. By 1940, however, the army commander in Malaya, Lieutenant-General Lionel Bond , conceded that a successful defence of Singapore demanded

8330-497: The strength and disposition of Allied aircraft before they invaded. Many of the pilots lacked adequate training and experience. For example, 20 of the original 169 Buffalos were lost in training accidents during 1941. Those fighter pilots with experience had been trained in methods that were very effective against German and Italian fighters but suicide against the acrobatic Japanese Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar" and Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" fighters. A counter tactic of avoiding dog fights with

8428-533: The terminal, the Israel Airports Authority made Terminal 1 available to all low-cost carriers under certain conditions. Flights operating out of Terminal 1 are charged lower airport fees than those operating out of Terminal 3. Until the summer of 2017 Terminal 1 was used for flight check-in, security screening and passport-control for international flights for passengers of certain low-cost airlines, but following passport control passengers were bussed to

8526-550: The territory's ports as naval bases, building air bases, and massing forces there for the invasion. Japan also coerced Thailand into co-operating with the invasion, though Thai troops resisted the landings in Thai territory for eight hours. At 04:00, 17 Japanese bombers attacked Singapore , the first ever air raid on the colony. It became evident to the British that Japanese bombers based in Indochina were now within range of Singapore. The Japanese were initially resisted by III Corps of

8624-875: The warships were sinking. On 15 December both Squadrons were pulled back to Kuala Lumpur, receiving replacement aircraft for those shot down or destroyed. Within the first week of the campaign the Japanese had established air superiority. On 19 December the bombers were moved to Singapore, with No 62 Squadron being re-equipped with Hudsons. One pilot—Sergeant Malcolm Neville Read of No. 453 Squadron RAAF—sacrificed himself by ramming his Buffalo into an Oscar of 64th Sentai over Kuala Lumpur on 22 December. Continued Japanese dominance eventually forced both Squadrons back to Singapore on 24 December, where they were merged until more replacement aircraft could be obtained. No 64 Squadron had run out of aircraft and its surviving ground-crew and airmen were shipped to Burma. RAAF No 1 and No 8 squadrons were amalgamated due to aircraft losses. This left

8722-411: Was also equipped with advanced checked-baggage handling and screening systems, similar to those in Terminal 3. A free public shuttle from Terminal 3 and the railway station to and from Terminal 1 operates approximately every 15 to 30 minutes (depending on the time of day). Terminal 3, which opened on 28 October 2004, replaced Terminal 1 as the main international gateway to and from Israel. The building

8820-488: Was at hand in case of attack. By late 1941, after Lieutenant-General Arthur E. Percival had taken over as GOC Malaya, it became clear that neither of these assumptions had any real substance. In addition, Churchill and Roosevelt had agreed that in the event of war breaking out in South East Asia , priority would be given to finishing the war in Europe . The east, until that time, would be a secondary priority. Containment

8918-460: Was completed in 2018. Space exists for one additional concourse (A) at Terminal 3. Free wireless internet is provided throughout the terminal. The terminal has three business lounges—the exclusive El Al King David Lounge for frequent flyers and three Dan lounges for either privileged or paying flyers. In January 2007, the IAA announced plans for a 120-bed hotel to be located about 300 m (980 ft) west of Terminal 3. The tender for

9016-658: Was considered the primary strategy in the east. Planning for this offensive was undertaken by the Japanese Military Affairs Bureau's Unit 82 based in Taiwan. Intelligence on Malaya was gathered through a network of agents which included Japanese embassy staff; disaffected Malayans (particularly members of the Japanese-established Tortoise Society ); and Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese business people and tourists. Japanese spies, which included

9114-463: Was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). Moshe Safdie & Associates and TRA (now Black and Veatch ) designed a linking structure and the airside departure areas and gates. Ram Karmi and other Israeli architects were the local architects of record. The inaugural flight was an El Al flight to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. Work on Natbag 2000 , as

9212-411: Was poor and the engine tended to overheat in the tropical climate, spraying oil over the windscreen. In service, some effort was made to improve performance by removing the armour plate, armoured windshields, radios, gun camera, and all other unnecessary equipment, and by replacing the .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns with .303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns. The fuselage tanks were filled with

9310-512: Was regarded as a single point of failure , which led to the opening of Ramon Airport in 2019. The airport began during the British Mandate for Palestine as an airstrip of two unpaved runways on the outskirts of the town of Lydda (now Lod ), near the Templer colony of Wilhelma . It was built in 1934, largely at the urging of Airwork Services . The first passenger service at the new airport

9408-407: Was renamed in honour of David Ben-Gurion (1886–1973), the first prime minister of Israel. The airport serves as a hub for El Al , Israir Airlines , Arkia , and Sun d'Or , and is managed by the Israel Airports Authority . In 2023, Ben Gurion Airport handled 21.1 million passengers, making it one of the busiest airports in the Middle East . It is considered to be among the five best airports in

9506-522: Was the Misr Airwork route Cairo —Lydda— Nicosia , inaugurated on 3 August 1935. Subsequently, Misr flew via Lydda to Haifa and Baghdad . The first continental European airline with a regular service to Lydda was LOT Polish Airlines since 4 April 1937. By that time, Lydda Airport boasted four fully operational concrete runways. Holland's KLM , which had since 1933 stopped at Gaza en route to Batavia, Dutch East Indies (now Jakarta , Indonesia), moved

9604-417: Was used for compulsory COVID-19 testing for all arriving passengers between 2020 and 2022. In August 2018, the IAA published a tender for the construction and operation of a new terminal, dedicated to handling private and executive aircraft traffic. In late 2021 construction began on a new interchange that will provide additional access to the airport from Highway 1. The new interchange significantly reduced

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