Self-Security Check for Eilat ‘Frequent Fliers’

“Did you pack everything yourself?” is a question that every traveler who passes through an Israeli airport has heard before they board a plane – but for Israelis and tourists flying from Ben Gurion Airport to Eilat, that security check could become a thing of the past. Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz said that a new automated security system will allow travelers to get through security lines much more quickly, without the need for an individual security check.

Many travelers to and from Eilat have complained of long lines at the security checkpoints, due to the limited facilities available for passengers on internal flights. The new system will speed things up considerably, said Katz. Over a million and a half passengers fly between Tel Aviv and Eilat each year, Katz said.

The security system requires advance sign-up and a background check, and users will be issued a special biometric identity card that will be checked in lieu of the regular security checked. The program is designed for “frequent fliers” who travel to Eilat on a regular basis. Those who sign up for the program will be able to pass by the traditional security check, saving as much as a half hour of waiting in line.

The system will be introduced as a pilot program at Ben Gurion Airport and Sde Dov Airport in Tel Aviv after Pesach, and will be instituted at the new Ramon Airport in Eilat when that begins operations in the coming months, added Katz.