Transportation Minister Miri Regev has urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to remove U.S. refueling aircraft from Ben-Gurion International Airport, citing concerns over severe congestion and the potential cancellation of millions of flight bookings. In a letter sent Sunday, Regev warned that if half of the 72 refueling planes stationed at Ben-Gurion are not relocated by Tuesday, more than 2.4 million tickets booked for the summer and holiday period could be canceled, affecting countless travelers including Bratslav Hasidim planning trips to Uman for Rosh Hashanah.

Regev highlighted that the large presence of these American refueling planes occupies over half of the airport’s parking spots and takes up aviation time slots, contributing to significant air traffic delays. Additionally, 26 U.S. refueling planes are parked at Ramon Airport near Eilat, where they occupy approximately 90 percent of parking capacity, further complicating airport operations.

The minister’s warning follows an advisory from the Israel Airports Authority issued last month, which cautioned that ongoing congestion caused by the refueling planes could trigger substantial disruptions. Under Israel’s Aviation Services Law, airlines must notify passengers in a timely manner if cancellations affect more than 2.4 million tickets—the threshold Regev references in her letter.

Regev stressed the potential economic fallout, estimating direct losses in the billions of shekels for airlines, the tourism sector, and the wider economy. She also expressed concern about the impact on Israel’s standing as an international aviation hub, noting that recent resumption of flights following the cease-fire could be jeopardized.

The U.S. refueling planes have remained at Ben-Gurion during the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, although fighting continues along the Lebanese border with Hezbollah. Regev’s letter called for relocating some of the American refueling aircraft to Israeli Air Force bases, while suggesting that IAF planes be moved to civilian airports to alleviate congestion.

Regev herself has faced scrutiny for her own travels during this period. Despite the ongoing aviation challenges, she flew twice last month on private vacations—once to London, where she reportedly entered Ben-Gurion Airport incognito, and once to Cyprus. She is noted as one of the most frequent government ministers to travel since joining Netanyahu’s coalition.

At the time of reporting, the Prime Minister’s Office had not issued a response to Regev’s request or the broader concerns regarding airport congestion and air traffic disruptions related to the U.S. military presence.