U.S., European airlines scrap Israel flights over missile fears

What a radical concept; don't fly civilian aircraft through a war zone. No kidding?

The airlines should have suspended flights to Israel long ago.

"The Israel government felt the airlines overreacted Tuesday. The Transportation Ministry called on the companies to reverse their decision, insisting Ben-Gurion Airport is safe and completely guarded and saying there is no reason to "hand terror a prize," by halting the flights."

"Israeli airline El Al maintained its regular flight schedule."

Well, if you're one of the ONLY airlines in the world with missile counter measures on all your aircraft, I'd guess you feel comfortable flying in and out of Israel too.

What many may not know is that for 10 years now, El Al, the Israeli Airline has had its fleet of aircraft fitted with a system known as "Flight Guard", a missile defense counter-measures system that protects the aircraft from missiles launched at it.

Here is a little snippet from the link below.

"Shoulder-fired missiles can be easily bought and are relatively cheap, security experts warn, and Israeli officials believe they present the next big risk to the airline industry.

"So the Israeli government took the decision not to wait for another case to happen and to equip all its aircraft with counter measures," Arik Ben-Ari from the Israel Civil Aviation Authority told CNN.

The planes will be equipped with a Doppler radar system, made up of four antennas at the front, two on the sides and four at the back of the plane -- capable of giving 360 degrees of radar coverage around the aircraft.

Within seconds of a missile being detected, an onboard computer releases flares, firing at different angles to act as a diversion."

Link dated May 24, 2004

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/05/24/air.defense/

Should the whole ME be considered? The surface to air missiles from Iraq are now in the hands of murderers. Money talks, no telling where they'll end up and for what reason.

U.S., European airlines scrap Israel flights over missile fears

or

OK Bibi, this is your first warning. It's time to ratchet down the slaughter cuz it's starting to raise too much attention.

OK Bibi, this is your first warning. It's time to ratchet down the slaughter cuz it's starting to raise too much attention.

Or Bibi could take the offensive scramble their F-18s and use their laser guided missiles to keep pounding Hamas into submission.

Hamas is making more friends, I see.

Anyone see Bloomberg commenting on how he's to prove it is safe and stating that Israel is the victim in all of this. Unreal.

@KnowBetter

Within seconds of a missile being detected, an onboard computer releases flares, firing at different angles to act as a diversion.

The rockets being fired here are not heat seeking missles. They are just projectiles flying through the air randomly that do not change course to track a target. It would seem that El Al's flares are completely ineffective in this case.

@FizzBit - The missiles are coming from the Gaza strip into Israel (and have been for years). The only thing that's new is that Hamas now has longer range missiles - courtesy of Iran - that are capable of reaching major Israeli cities.

"These rockets in the hands of murderers in Iraq "

I think you're wrong, the British & Americans have left Iraq?

Anyone see Bloomberg commenting on how he's to prove it is safe and stating that Israel is the victim in all of this. Unreal.

Which they are. I thought you knew that already.

Mr.Bloomberg, ex mayor of New York City, is openly Jewish, so is it any surprise he OPENLY supports Israel?? I am sure he also got lots of $$ for his elections etc..and I am sure he helped many rich New York Jews etc..send $$ to Israel, so Mr.Bloomberg has lots of investments on both sides of the Atlantic, and he makes a nice poster boy for EL AL, the Isreali national carrier.