Chairman Arnon Bar David of the Histadrut Labor Federation said on Tuesday that the union is considering its next steps in the fight against the closing of Tel Aviv's Sde Dov Airport in two weeks to make way for construction in the city's northern beachfront area.
The transfer of Eilat flights to Ben-Gurion Airport is expected to increase the travel time for passengers, causing a hardship for Eilat residents who have to travel to Tel Aviv for medical treatment and posing a threat to Eilat's tourism industry. Bar David told an emergency meeting of involved parties in his office, "This is the wrong decision that will harm the economy of Eilat, employment, domestic and foreign tourism, patients, academia and infrastructure. It is possible to continue operating the route as construction begins from east to west. After all, there are many more years ahead of us until construction begins. Closing the field at the moment is irresponsible and should not be done."