In winter, spring and autumn, along with the resorts of Egypt, trips to the southernmost city of Israel - Eilat - become popular. Sometimes, air tickets for tourists appear under the point of arrival at Ovda Airport. What is it and where is this airborne harbor located? Why do other passengers flying to South Israel have Eilat airport as their destination? In fact, this resort city on the Red Sea has two hubs. And in this article we will briefly talk about both. To find out where Ovda Airport is located, why it is so called and how to get to Eilat resort hotels from it , read the information below.
History
This hub was built in 1980 under the Camp David Accords. Then Israel was forced to return to Egypt its territories illegally seized from it during the Six Day War. Since there were no large military airfields in the south of the country, Uvda was built. The name of the UVDA hub is often pronounced "Ovda." That was the name of the military operation in the framework of the war of 1947-1949, when the Jewish army took away the territory from the Arabs and established control over the lands off the northern coast of the Red Sea. At first, Ovda Airport accepted only military aircraft. But with the development of air technology, there was a need for the adoption of heavy passenger airliners. The runway of the Eilat city airport was too short and not suitable for this. This is where the military air base came in handy.
Ovda Airport today
Only thirty years have passed since the construction of the hub. But Ovda over the years has managed to occupy the second position in the country after Ben Gurion in Tel Aviv. It takes all the so-called heavy flights of international flights. Of course, the popularity of Eilat as a seaside resort played a large role in the "promotion" of the former military airfield. But the hub itself - its huge size, convenience, functionality - has earned fame among tourists. And reviews confirm this. Although the operation of the military base for civil aviation was planned as temporary (to unload the airport of Eilat), Ovda switched over almost all flights arriving in Eilat. However, soon the liners will take another hub. In 2016, the construction of the new Eilat International Airport (eighteen kilometers north of the city) should be completed. And then Uvda will again be transferred to the military.
Where is the hub located and how to get to Eilat
Ovda Airport on the map is located sixty kilometers north of the resort center. To get to Eilat, there are several options. Of course, those vacationers who arrived on a package tour should not worry about anything. Representatives of the travel agency will meet them and deliver them directly to the hotel. Independent travelers should choose. The fastest, hassle-free, but, alas, expensive option is a taxi. You need to bargain with the driver. Then it will be possible to bring down the price of up to three hundred shekels (the usual rate is 350-500). The second option is on city bus number 282. Cars arrive just under the flight and depart forty-five minutes after the liner lands. There is also bus number 392 connecting the cities of Beersheba and Eilat. His cars go every hour. For those who do not have time for public transport, there is another option to leave for Eilat. You can ask for a tour bus driver. But getting hooked on the transfer is luck, not regularity. Do not plan it.
Eilat Air Harbor Scheme
Ovda Airport is a one-story building in which getting lost is simply unthinkable. The only terminal accepts both international and domestic routes. During the high tourist season, numerous charters are added to regular flights. During this period, queues are observed at check-in counters and at border crossing points. In Uvda, the features of a former military airfield are still observed. This affects the “increased combat readiness” of the guard, as well as a narrower offer of various services. There are no ATMs, and the rate that is offered at two currency exchange points differs markedly (and not in the direction favorable for tourists) from the city one. But the waiting room at the airport is quite comfortable, souvenir shops, press stalls, cafes, duty-free work.
What do they say about the Uvda hub
Airplanes from Aeroflot from Sheremetyev, Isra Air, Wim-Avia and Ural Airlines from Domodedovo and Russia from Pulkovo in St. Petersburg arrive here. In the tourist season, charter flights are added to these scheduled flights. These are the liners of Azur Air (flying from Domodedovo), Nordwind Airlines, from St. Petersburg, Samara, Rostov-on-Don, Krasnodar and the capital Sheremetyev. Ovda Airport reviews are called very functional. Services try to avoid crowding, so sending and receiving passengers on a flight is quick. Eilat is a duty free zone. But still, at Uvda Airport, you can return VAT for goods purchased in other cities of Israel.