Ben Gurion Gets First-Class Terminal

Passengers to Israel who like to fly – and take off – in style now have the opportunity to do so, as a new first-class terminal has opened at Ben Gurion airport. The new Fattal Terminal will be operated by the eponymous hotel chain, and will feature suites for overnight transfer passengers, meeting rooms, and many accoutrements for first-class flyers.

The new terminal is designed to provide VIP service to those deserving – or those willing to pay the $395 to $485 fee per person for the lounge’s services. Those services include gourmet meals, sleeping and meeting accommodations, a limousine to deliver passengers from the plane to the lounge, no-wait customs checks, cocktail parties and dinner events, and more. The company said that the pricing was similar to such lounges in international airports in New York, Los Angeles, Abu Dhabi, and elsewhere.

The new terminal, located near Terminal 1 in Ben Gurion airport, cost the Fattal chain NIS 18 million ($5 million). The building includes 1,300 square meters of space, and includes two duty-free shops.

According to Fattal officials, the target population of the lounge includes international delegations and diplomats, corporate presidents and executives, top officials of governments on state visits and the like. According to the company, there are as many as 55,000 such visitors to Israel each year, a number that is expected to grow.

David Fattal, CEO of the company, said that “this new terminal will be the gate into Israel for important guests. They will enjoy a wide variety of services here. We decided to make this the best lounge possible. Our purpose is that all visitors who come into or leave Israel via the terminal do so with a smile on their faces.”