Blue Bird Airline Faces Hearing Over Major Flight Delays at Ben Gurion Airport

Blue Bird, the fourth-largest airline operating at Ben Gurion Airport, is set to be summoned for a hearing due to significant delays in its flight departures and arrivals. According to data reported by Channel 13 on Tuesday, approximately 80% of flights by Blue Bird and TUS do not depart on time, with average delays reaching around two hours. Both airlines stated they have not yet received any official communication from Ben Gurion Airport but will respond appropriately if contacted.

Recently, passengers on a Blue Bird charter flight to Crete experienced nearly a two-hour delay on the runway after boarding, caused by a failure of the aircraft's ventilation system amid soaring August temperatures. Some passengers, including parents with young children, suffered from the heat, with one passenger expressing outrage over the conditions inside the plane.

On the previous Friday, Ben Gurion Airport reported unusually high congestion, with a backlog of about 90 flights accumulating within just three hours. The Israel Airports Authority attributed the delays to heavy air traffic and airspace restrictions over Europe, particularly Greece, as well as the presence of American refueling aircraft. They denied reports of strikes or staff shortages contributing to the disruptions.