Israir Airlines CEO Uri Sirkis tells Channel 12 the airline expects to launch a pilot resumption of flights from Ben Gurion Airport by the beginning of June and possibly as early as late May.

“The program will allow passengers to go on vacation in a ‘monitored’ fashion,” says Sirkis, adding that the flights will be to Rhodes and Cyprus.

“The pilot program will continue until mid-June and if it’s successful, skies will gradually be reopened,” he continues.

Sirkis cautions that flights will only be between certain countries, dependent on authorizations by health and aviation authorities, and adds that passenger volume for this summer is expected to be down by 60-70 percent compared to last summer.