Ben Gurion Airport Faces Severe Delays as Passengers Wait Hours Without Luggage

Ben Gurion Airport experienced significant disruptions on Friday morning, with dozens of flights delayed due to luggage not being loaded onto planes while passengers were already on board. Reports indicated that passengers waited for hours on aircraft without their suitcases, raising concerns about a possible sudden strike by ground handling staff. For example, Israir flight 249 to Salzburg, scheduled for 06:30, remained grounded more than two hours later as passengers saw their luggage sitting outside but not being loaded.

Similar issues were reported on Arkia flight IZ74, where passengers were stuck on the plane for two hours without luggage being loaded. A flight attendant reportedly informed passengers that the ground luggage teams had initiated a strike, leaving travelers uncertain about departure times. The delays also affected arriving flights, with passengers waiting over two hours on the tarmac without their bags, some with small children.

These problems come amid the peak summer travel season, during which Ben Gurion Airport has seen record passenger numbers. In July alone, over 2.35 million travelers passed through the airport, a 36% increase compared to the previous year, and August is expected to exceed 2.6 million passengers. The airport has recently faced additional challenges, including the presence of American refueling aircraft occupying critical parking spaces. The Israel Airports Authority has not yet issued an official statement regarding the current delays.