Majority of Flights Missed Schedules During Israeli Holiday Week
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
An analysis of flights during Israel's High Holidays revealed that only 46.3% of flights were on time, with an average delay of 92 minutes and 40 cancellations. Airlines like Bluebird and Tus Airways showed particularly poor punctuality, while Arkia and Israir experienced significant disruptions affecting passengers.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Less than half of flights were on time during Israeli holidays.
- Average delay was 92 minutes; 40 flights were canceled.
- Bluebird and Tus Airways had the lowest on-time performance.
- Passengers faced significant disruptions and long waits.
- Operational issues at Ben Gurion Airport cited as a major cause.
A significant portion of flights operating during the recent Israeli holiday period experienced delays or cancellations, according to an analysis of data from the TLVFLIGHT system. Between September 21 and 27, only 46.3% of 3,199 monitored takeoffs and landings 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.
Passengers faced considerable disruption, with extended waits at Ben Gurion Airport and abroad, often without clear information about departure times. Some reported that airport flight boards did not update to reflect delays, leading to further confusion. Instances included an Arkia flight from Seychelles where the delayed inbound aircraft's status was not updated at Mahé airport, and check-in counters remained closed. Many travelers now rely on flight tracking apps to monitor their aircraft's location and potential delays.
One notable incident involved an Israir flight from Athens to Tel Aviv that returned due to a technical issue. While the aircraft was repaired, some passengers disembarked. Safety regulations required their luggage to be removed, a process that exceeded the crew's allowed working hours, preventing the flight from departing as scheduled. Israir stated they provided passengers with meal vouchers, accommodation, and additional compensation, with the flight rescheduled for the following day.
Arkia also 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 early the next morning. Passengers spent the night at Ben Gurion Airport, with some losing pre-booked hotel nights.
The analysis revealed considerable differences in punctuality among airlines. Bluebird had the lowest on-time performance, with only 14.4% of its flights on schedule and an average delay of 151 minutes. Tus Airways followed with 19.2% on-time flights and an average delay of 163 minutes. El Al performed better at 61.3% on-time, with an average delay of 49 minutes, while Wizz Air had 60.9% on-time flights with a 39-minute average delay. Etihad Airways led with 83.1% of flights on time.
Arkia's CEO, Oz Berlovich, attributed many delays to operational limitations at Ben Gurion Airport, including air traffic congestion, ground staff shortages, and crew working hour restrictions. He emphasized that a single early morning delay can cascade throughout the day, impacting subsequent flights. Berlovich also highlighted the challenges posed by ground handling services, noting that airline responsibility remains with the carrier regardless of external factors. Israir acknowledged that while they strive for punctuality, many delays stem from factors beyond their control, including air traffic control, airport congestion, and operational or security constraints.
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