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Ben-Gurion Airport (originally called Lydda and later Lod Airport) was established by the British Mandate government in 1936 and since then has served as Israel's international gateway. Upon inauguration, the airport handled some 40,000 passengers. Today several million passengers pass through its gates annually.
In 1994, the Israeli government decided to build a new airport terminal, on the basis of the Israel Airports Authority (IAA) overall plan to expand the airport's capacity. The project became Israel's largest infrastructure initiative ever to be taken.
During May 1998, the first excavating equipment began working on site. The construction took six years to complete. The new terminal, one of the most modern and beautiful facilities world wide, comprises three concourses (a fourth is envisaged), and airbridges connecting the main building to 24 aircraft parking gates. In addition, ten aircraft can be parked on remote positions overnight, a new parallel taxiway has been added as well as a complex of bridges, roads, car parking lots, energy supply center and many other auxiliary supporting facilities. The terminal can be expanded in future if and when demand so dictates.
The terminal's area encompasses some 420 acres including a constructed area of some 270,000 sq.m It-consists of a seven-level landside terminal, a three-level airside building, two-level parking lots with a capacity of 2400 vehicles and open parking space accommodating 2100 vehicles. The supporting areas include three catering firms, many office and storage buildings, three aircraft maintenance hangars and three private aircraft hangars.
The commercial area encompasses some 40,000 sq.m., and it houses shops, duty-free shops, restaurants, coffee shops, banks etc. The duty free area is centered within a circular building designed to achieve optimal passenger comfort and efficient utilization of space, thus enabling and unobstructed overall view of the commercial area to all outgoing passengers.
The terminal facilities have been designed to improve service to both outgoing and incoming passengers, well-wishers and employees. Emphasis was placed on easy reach and orientation, and short walking distances between gates and airbridges.
An innovation is the underground railway station, build in cooperation with the Israeli Ports & Railway Authority. It will enable passengers from Tel –Aviv to reach the terminal in less than ten minutes.
Israel Airports Authority
