Ryanair Group CEO Michael O’Leary said the airline might not resume flights to Israel even after violence in the region subsides.
The Irish low-cost carrier’s flights to and from Tel Aviv have been suspended for months amid the war in Gaza, with the airline previously stating it would not return before October 25 at the earliest.
Speaking to journalists in Dublin on Thursday, O’Leary said there is a “real possibility that we won’t bother going back to Israel” due to frustration with Israeli airport authorities.
The core issue, according to O’Leary, is a dispute over terminal fees at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport. He explained that the airport has both a low-cost terminal and a more expensive main terminal. During security threats, the low-cost terminal is closed, and airlines are forced to use the high-cost terminal while being charged its higher rates.
“We have been messed around by the Israelis,” O’Leary said, expressing that his patience is limited. “Unless the Israelis kind of get their act together and stop messing us around, frankly, we have far more growth elsewhere in Europe.”
O’Leary said he has “absolutely none” when asked about any brand or ethical qualms, adding, “As long as it is safe to fly there, we’ll be happy [to] fly to Israel.”
This is not the first time the airline has voiced frustration with the security situation at Ben Gurion. In May, when Ryanair canceled services to Tel Aviv through July 31, O’Leary was quoted as saying he was “losing patience.”
While flights to Israel remain up in the air, O’Leary confirmed that the airline plans to resume service to neighboring Jordan either this month or next.
