“Crisis event” declared at Ben Gurion as baggage shutdown delays 140 flights
More than 107,000 passengers are expected to pass through the airport on Thursday as baggage operations grind to a halt and huge lines build up across the terminal.
The congestion at Ben Gurion Airport reached a peak on Thursday, with the airport declaring a “crisis event” and halting all baggage operations for the time being. The Israel Airports Authority said the disruption was caused by what it described as sanctions by baggage workers.
The decision came after severe congestion led to widespread delays. So far, 140 of the 159 flights scheduled to depart from Ben Gurion Airport have been delayed.
To ease the backlog, check-in agents were instructed to stop their work and allow baggage facilities to focus on processing the accumulated luggage. Passengers were told that it was not yet clear when normal baggage operations would resume, while huge lines formed in the check-in hall.
The congestion has been attributed to several factors, including the presence of American refueling tankers parked at Ben Gurion Airport, congestion at airports in Greece, and shortages of infrastructure and manpower at Ben Gurion, particularly in baggage handling and security screening.
Following the escalation, Airports Authority employees began distributing bottles of water to passengers and urged those waiting to remain patient. At this stage, there is no expectation that normal operations will resume immediately.
A total of 620 flights are scheduled to take off and land at Ben Gurion Airport on Thursday, with more than 107,000 passengers expected to pass through the airport.
The congestion has created backlogs across the airport, particularly around baggage conveyors and on aircraft waiting to depart or land. Authorities therefore decided to try to “roll out” flights rather than cancel them. But the disruption has spread across virtually every stage of the passenger journey, from check-in counters and security screening to baggage handling and airport parking.
The baggage crisis is not new. Last night, passengers reported waiting around four hours to collect their luggage after arriving on a flight from Greece. When the bags finally began arriving, only about half of the luggage had been unloaded. The remaining passengers were told that their bags would be located and delivered to them later.
The latest disruption comes as Transport Minister Miri Regev and the ministry’s director general, Moshe Ben Zaken, are on a private vacation in Morocco.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Ben Gurion Airport last night and praised Airports Authority employees for their dedication. The latest developments, however, underscore the extent to which the airport’s staff are struggling to cope with the unprecedented volume of traffic and the accumulating baggage backlog.
The Airports Authority has blamed the workers’ union for the disruption, alleging that employees are taking deliberate action that is interfering with airport operations.
“The Airports Authority is currently dealing with work disruptions, under the direction of the workers’ union, which are affecting operational activity and service to the traveling public,” the Authority said.
Management called on employees to “immediately cease any action that could harm regular work and return the activity to full routine,” adding that it views “seriously any deliberate action that may harm the traveling public and the normal operations of Ben Gurion Airport, especially during the period of summer congestion and high activity volumes.”
The Authority said that if the disruptions continue, it intends to urgently approach the Labor Court and request its intervention.
“All parties at Ben Gurion Airport are working to minimize the impact of the event and maintain operational continuity and service to passengers as much as possible,” it said.
