Ben Gurion Airport Braces for Record Holiday Travel Amid Staffing Concerns
Ben Gurion Airport is preparing for a significant surge in passenger traffic during the upcoming High Holidays, with an estimated 2.5 million travelers expected to pass through the facility. This marks the first Rosh Hashanah since the start of the war where the airport is operating at full capacity, with many foreign airlines resuming flights to Israel after a prolonged suspension.
Thursday is anticipated to be the busiest travel day of the holiday period, with over 100,000 passengers and approximately 570 international flights scheduled. Heavy passenger flow is projected to continue throughout the holidays, with around 88,000 travelers expected on September 21st, and an additional 92,000 on September 25th and September 29th.
The Israel Airports Authority (IAA) is implementing extensive measures to prevent disruptions similar to the major strike that occurred three weeks prior. While operations are currently reported as normal, airlines have recently raised concerns about a shortage of baggage handling staff, which has led to flight delays. Airport employees have indicated that the management's reinforcement of staff following the August incident has ended, and the deficit is now noticeable.
Details surrounding the August strike suggest that the decision to halt baggage transport was made after sorting station employees left their shifts early, refusing to work agreed-upon overtime hours. Separately, the airport has seen incidents involving draft dodgers, with dozens arrested in recent days. Two individuals were apprehended on Wednesday just before boarding a Wizz Air flight to Poland.
