Ben Gurion Airport Braces for Record Passenger Traffic Ahead of High Holidays

Ben Gurion Airport anticipates a peak travel day with approximately 100,000 passengers on Thursday, just before the Rosh Hashanah holiday. The upcoming High Holidays period is expected to see around 2.5 million travelers pass through the airport, marking the first holiday season since the start of the war with a return to full operational normalcy.

Many foreign airlines have resumed flights to Israel after a months-long suspension, contributing to the expected surge in activity. The Israel Airports Authority (IAA) is implementing extensive measures to prevent disruptions similar to the major strike that occurred three weeks prior, which caused significant travel delays.

Despite assurances of normal operations, airlines recently warned of a staffing shortage in baggage handling crews, which had led to flight delays. Airport workers reported that additional staffing provided after the August incident has ended, and the shortage is now keenly felt.

The August strike's cause remains unclear, but internal investigation data suggests the baggage transport system shutdown occurred after sorting station employees left their shifts early and refused overtime. Meanwhile, unusual incidents continue to occur, primarily on flights to Uman, Ukraine, with dozens of draft dodgers apprehended in recent days. Two such individuals were detained just before boarding a Wizz Air flight to Poland on Wednesday.