The Israel Airports Authority (IAA) has announced a ban on aircraft with four engines from operating to or from Israel. The ban will come into force on March 31st, 2023, and has been introduced due to environmental, noise, and sustainability concerns.

With the ban in place, four-engined aircraft will only be able to operate to or from Israel in exceptional circumstances, and special permission will need to be obtained in advance from Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport (TLV). While details of what exceptions will be allowed remain scarce, an emergency landing or government aircraft (such as Air Force One) would presumably be granted permission.

An Emirates-branded Airbus passenger plane
Was Emirates planning to fly its Airbus A380s to Tel Aviv? Photo: Emirates

Director General of the Israel Airports Authority, Hagai Topolansky, confirmed the measure, stating,

“The increase in passenger and aircraft traffic at Ben Gurion Airport is an environmental challenge. I intend to lead the Airports Authority and Ben Gurion Airport not only in the fields of digitization but also to lead the environment and sustainability in the world of aviation, stopping the landing of 4-engine planes at Ben Gurion Airport is one step and the first step in a broader plan that is currently being formulated."

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Four-engined aircraft in Israel

The IAA has already contacted airlines to advise them of the upcoming ban. However, there are currently no scheduled commercial flights into Israel using the Airbus A340, Airbus A380, or Boeing 747.

In the past, El Al was among the carriers operating four-engined passenger aircraft into Tel Aviv, flying regularly to destinations such as New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX). The Israeli flag carrier retired its Boeing 747-400s shortly before the pandemic. Delta Air Lines also flew into Tel Aviv with its Boeing 747-400s, before retiring the type in December 2017.

Emirates currently operates to Tel Aviv twice daily from Dubai (DXB) with its twin-engined Boeing 777 aircraft. There were rumors that the service was soon planned to be upgauged to the Airbus A380, thanks to its stronger than expected performance. However, following the announcement from the IAA, Emirates will now have to rethink any such plans.

El Al Cargo 747
El Al Cargo currently flies between Tel Aviv, Liege, and New York with its Boeing 747-400 cargo aircraft. Photo: dxme via Wikimedia Commons

Ben Gurion Airport does currently play host to a number of Boeing 747 cargo operators, including CAL Cargo Air Lines, which flies the Boeing 747-400F cargo aircraft between Tel Aviv, Liege, and New York. It remains to be seen how airlines and cargo operators will react to the ban.

Will the ban have the desired effect?

The IAA has stated that the ban on four-engined aircraft is being introduced as a result of environmental, noise, and sustainability concerns. In recent years, airlines such as Virgin Atlantic have made no secret of their desire to rid themselves of their older, inefficient four-engined Airbus A340s and Boeing 747s. But when it comes to more modern four-engined aircraft, critics have argued that the ban will be ineffective.

Aircraft with four engines are not always less environmentally friendly than their twin-engined counterparts. For example, thanks to its large passenger capacity, the Airbus A380 has a lower fuel burn per passenger than many twin-engined aircraft.

Having four engines does not necessarily mean that the aircraft is noisier either – advanced technology means that the engines on modern aircraft such as the Airbus A380 can be quieter than those on older, twin-engined aircraft.

El Al Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
El Al replaced its Boeing 747-400s with Boeing 787-9s. Photo: El Al

As sustainability becomes an increasingly important issue for airports and airlines worldwide, are we likely to see similar measures being introduced elsewhere?

What do you think of Israel’s decision to ban four-engined aircraft from next year? Is it a step in the right direction to achieving aviation sustainability goals? Or is it an unnecessary policy that will have a minimal impact? Share your thoughts by commenting below.

Sources: Israel National News, One Mile At A Time, DansDeals, Lametayel