Security concerns have forced Israel to bar its state airline "El Al" from flying in thousands of Nigerian Christian pilgrims this year.

The ban will disrupt travel plans for 28,000 Christians who were planning to fly El Al to Israel in the coming months, according to Tourism Ministry official Rafi Ben-Hur.

Airport security has remained a concern since last year when a Nigerian man was arrested and charged with trying to bring down a U.S.-bound airliner with a bomb hidden under his clothes.
   
Meanwhile, Hur said he is confident the pilgrims will be able to fly other carriers to Israel. 

"The biggest loser in this case is El Al, which was forced to give up on a large amount of passengers," he said.