Decision on Canceling 100,000 Summer Flight Tickets Delayed as Ben Gurion Parking Crisis Continues

The Transport Ministry has delayed for several days a decision on whether to order airlines to cancel about 100,000 tickets for the coming summer, as officials continue trying to solve a severe aircraft parking shortage at Ben Gurion Airport. The move was expected on Sunday, but sources in the aviation and transport sectors said no final decision would be taken today.

A senior industry source said, "There will be no cancellations today. The decision is being postponed for a few more days, and in the meantime they are dealing with moving the aircraft." The aim is to keep working on clearing planes from the airport and avoid major damage to the summer flight schedule.

The parking crisis stems from a serious lack of parking stands for aircraft, a situation that could force flight cancellations and reduce airline activity in Israel. The Israel Airports Authority estimates that about 80 active parking positions are needed to get through the summer without significant cancellations.

On Sunday, about 18 aircraft were removed from Ben Gurion as part of the effort to expand parking capacity. Industry estimates still say roughly 15 more parking spaces are needed to fully resolve the crisis. If those are found, broad cancellations may be avoided, but tens of thousands of passengers remain uncertain for now. The coming days are seen as critical, with a final ruling still pending.