Ben Gurion Airport Faces Financial Strain Amid Staff Shortages

Israel's main airport, Ben Gurion, is grappling with significant financial challenges, primarily driven by escalating salary expenses and a deficit of 400 to 500 employees. The Israel Airports Authority's financial burden has increased substantially in recent years, impacting the airport's operations. In the first quarter of 2026, salary costs reached 477 million shekels, accounting for approximately 75% of the airport's total revenue of 629 million shekels for that period. From October 2023 to the end of June 2026, the authority's expenses are projected to exceed its income by nearly 2 billion shekels.

The airport is experiencing shortages in critical roles, including security and screening personnel, baggage handlers, transport workers, operators, and firefighters. The situation is exacerbated by over a hundred employees serving in reserves and others on extended sick leave. To mitigate the summer rush, the airport hired around 250 temporary workers, at a monthly cost of 15,000 to 20,000 shekels per individual, with their long-term employment remaining uncertain.

Despite the current staffing concerns, the airport's personnel numbers are comparable to pre-pandemic levels. In August 2019, with a passenger traffic of 2.8 million, 976 employees handled baggage operations. Currently, with an expected 2.6 million passengers, the number of baggage handlers stands at 978. The workers' committee attributes the need for more staff to new equipment and altered working conditions.

Financially, the situation has worsened considerably. In 2019, salaries constituted about 39% of the authority's income. By 2025, this figure rose to 51%, with 1.9 billion shekels of the 3.7 billion shekel revenue allocated to salaries and related payments.

In response to these mounting issues, a major reform is under discussion. Potential changes include transforming the Israel Airports Authority from a government body into a state-owned company and privatizing terminal operations. Meanwhile, airport management is preparing for further disruptions, deploying additional staff and having managers work shifts to cover essential duties. This follows previous concerns about potential operational collapses at the airport.