Gateway to Israel (Ben-Gurion International Airport (TLV))

Member Name: dangaroo

Product:	Ben-Gurion International Airport (TLV)
Date:	10/12/08 (193 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Well connected to the rest of Israel

Disadvantages: A lot of walking and questions at customs

Tel Aviv Ben Gurion is where I touched down whilst visiting Israel, it's the largest of the Israeli airports and the only one with cheap flights to and from Europe (Berlin, Munich, Manchester, Riga, Vilnius), a very modern airport with quite a lot of travalators and/or walking to get to customs. Luggage was seemingly safely handled (I watched through the window), although the airport workers did seem to stack them up higher and higher in quite a precarious way. There was no where near as much security and military as I expected, however I was later informed that there is a lot of undercover soldiers.

I was questioned for customs for quite a long time but it seemed quite easy going and I think I got an easy time compared to other people's stories, it seems this is generally not the same for Jews but they asked lots of questions - Where am I going? Where am I staying? What do I do at home? How come I have friends in Israel? How long do I plan to stay and many more, it would seem that men travelling alone between the ages of 20-40 are the most likely to be asked endless questions based on the fact that this is the most popular people group to head to Palestine and protest.

Despite questioning and walking, it wasn't too bad and there is a convenient train connection connecting the airport to Tel Aviv and Haifa and also Jerusalem with one change.

Summary: Tight security