Jerusalem, Aug 03: Israel is to ban foreign airliners without bulletproof cockpit doors from flying over the country or landing at its airports effective Oct 31, a spokesman for the ministry of transportation said today. The Israeli move follows a similar decision made by US Civil Aviation officials after the Sept. 11, 2001 airborne terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. The US decision also takes effect October 31, the government said.

Transport ministry spokesman Avner Ovadiah said that the ban would also apply to foreign airliners using Israeli airspace en route to other destinations.
Ben-Gurion International Airport, Israel's main aviation gateway, is served by more than two dozen foreign airlines. Ovadiah said that some airlines with older fleets, particularly those from eastern Europe, had yet to install the safety doors.

The international civil aviation organization, the United Nations' aviation arm, is requiring every airliner in the world to install reinforced cockpit doors by November 1.
Israel's national airline, El Al, has among world's the most stringent security requirements.

Bureau Report