Ben Gurion Airport Faces Major Delays as Baggage Handling Struggles with High Flight Volume

Ben Gurion Airport is experiencing significant delays this morning, April 13, 2026, due to an unusually high volume of flights overwhelming baggage handling operations. Approximately 90 flights accumulated within a three-hour window, causing slow processing and loading of luggage. In some cases, passengers were already on board their planes while their bags remained on the tarmac. Arriving passengers also reported long waits to retrieve their checked baggage.

The delays affected various flights, including an Israir flight to Salzburg originally scheduled for 06:30, whose passengers were left waiting on the aircraft. The Israel Airports Authority clarified that the situation is not the result of a strike but stems from the exceptional congestion. Efforts are underway to manage the backlog and restore normal operations as quickly as possible.

The airport is actively addressing the issue to reduce delays in both loading departing flights and unloading arriving ones, aiming to return to routine service soon. The congestion follows a recent ceasefire, which has increased passenger traffic at the airport.