Ben Gurion Airport Braces for Busiest Day of Year Amidst Passenger Surge
Ben Gurion Airport, Israel's main international gateway, is anticipating its busiest day of the year on Thursday, with approximately 100,000 passengers expected to pass through. The Israel Airports Authority has increased staffing to manage the expected influx, which includes around 600 departing and arriving flights.
September is typically the peak month for air travel at Ben Gurion, partly due to the Jewish High Holidays. This month alone, the airport anticipates serving a total of 2.5 million passengers. Popular destinations for Thursday's flights include Greece, Cyprus, Italy, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates.
This surge comes after a period of significant disruptions at the airport in August, including flight delays and a temporary halt to landings. These issues were attributed to traffic congestion and a shortage of ground staff, particularly baggage handlers, which led to suitcases not being loaded onto planes on time. The chaos peaked on August 20th with a complete shutdown of check-in counters.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intervened during the August disruptions, reportedly threatening to dismiss officials hindering operations. The article also notes that low-cost carrier Wizz Air recently announced an expansion of its services in Israel, launching new European routes, following previous flight suspensions linked to the ongoing conflict.
Looking ahead, the airport anticipates continued high traffic throughout September, with millions of passengers expected to travel during the holiday season.
