Majority of Flights Missed Schedules During Israeli Holiday Week

During the recent Jewish holiday period, a significant majority of flights operating to and from Israel experienced delays or cancellations. An analysis of 3,199 takeoffs and landings between September 21 and 27 revealed that only 46.3% of flights departed or arrived on time. For those flights that were delayed, the average delay was 92 minutes, and a total of 40 flights were canceled during the week.

These delays caused considerable disruption for passengers, who faced lengthy waits at Ben Gurion Airport and abroad, often without clear information about their flight status. Some travelers reported that departure boards at foreign airports failed to update with delay information, adding to the confusion. For instance, an Arkia flight from Seychelles to Israel was delayed due to its inbound aircraft's late departure from Tel Aviv, but the information was not updated at Mahé International Airport, and check-in counters opened late.

Israir reported that one flight from Athens to Tel Aviv had to return due to a technical issue. While the aircraft was repaired, some passengers disembarked. Safety regulations required their luggage to be removed, which extended the process beyond the crew's allowed working hours, necessitating a delay until the next day. Israir stated they provided passengers with food, drink, and accommodation vouchers, emphasizing their commitment to passenger safety.

Arkia experienced a significant delay on a flight to Athens, initially postponed from 9:15 PM to 10:00 PM, then to 2:00 AM, before finally departing the following morning at 6:20 AM, causing passengers to miss overnight stays booked in Athens.

Among the airlines analyzed, Bluebird had the lowest on-time performance, with only 14.4% of its 286 flights on schedule, and an average delay of 151 minutes for delayed flights. Tus Airways followed with 19.2% of its 151 flights on time and an average delay of 163 minutes. El Al performed better with 61.3% of its 760 flights on time, and an average delay of 49 minutes for delayed flights. Wizz Air had 60.9% of its 110 flights on time, while Etihad Airways led with 83.1% of its 71 flights on schedule.

Arkia's CEO, Oz Berlovich, attributed many delays to operational constraints at Ben Gurion Airport, including runway congestion, ground staff shortages, and crew working hour limitations. He explained that a single early morning delay can create a cascading effect throughout the day, impacting subsequent flights. Berlovich stressed that while airlines are ultimately responsible to passengers, the root causes often lie with ground handling services and airport infrastructure.