Israeli Passengers Face Hours-Long Delays Waiting on Planes Before Takeoff at Ben Gurion Airport
Recently, passengers at Ben Gurion Airport have experienced prolonged waits inside aircraft before takeoff, adding to existing congestion issues. For example, on Sunday, a TUS flight to Cyprus scheduled for 9:00 a.m. departed three hours late. Passengers were initially told the delay was due to waiting for a late bus of boarding passengers. The crew, leaving the door open but unable to explain the delay, distributed water and energy snacks to calm passengers. Hundreds of travelers, many with young children, remained on the plane for over four hours despite the flight lasting only about an hour.
A similar incident occurred the previous evening on a Blue Bird flight to Crete, which took off two hours after all passengers were seated. The crew insisted on keeping the door closed and the plane ready for takeoff to avoid losing their assigned takeoff slot, which could cause further delays affecting subsequent flights. Passengers complained about limited air conditioning, which was only ventilation, and after an hour and a half, the crew opened the door to allow fresh air following increased distress among children. One passenger contacted the police, who relayed a request to Ben Gurion’s control tower to prioritize the flight.
Airlines fear missing their allocated takeoff slots, which are granted on short notice, so they board passengers on time but keep them seated during delays. This practice results in passengers waiting in cramped conditions with limited food and drink instead of in the more comfortable gate areas. Ben Gurion is currently facing complex challenges: American refueling planes receive priority over passenger flights even without scheduled slots, and the airport’s flight schedule is heavily impacted by delays in Greek airports.
Greece ranks third in Europe for flight delays, accounting for 11% of all delays last month due to airspace capacity limits and staff shortages. Athens airport alone caused 7% of Europe’s total delay time, with Macedonia airport adding 4%. Greece’s airspace congestion coincides with rising passenger and tourism traffic, ranking seventh among Europe’s busiest markets with an average of 2,842 daily takeoffs and landings, a 5% increase from last year. This is significant for Israeli travelers, as Greece is a major tourist destination and much of Israel’s European air traffic passes through Greek airspace, affecting flights beyond Greece itself.
TUS and Blue Bird, operated by Bulgarian airline ALK Airlines, responded that their planes were ready on time and all passengers boarded, but delays were caused by unusual air traffic congestion and awaiting Greek tower clearance. They emphasized that crews did their best to ease passenger discomfort by distributing water, opening doors, and using ventilation within safety limits. Aircraft remained on the runway rather than at gates to be ready for immediate takeoff once clearance was received.
