Over 100,000 Passengers Face Disruptions as Flights Divert From Israel's Ben Gurion Airport

Ben Gurion Airport is experiencing significant operational disruptions amid a peak travel day with over 100,000 passengers expected. Several flights have been diverted to other airports or forced to return to their origin, including an Air France flight that turned back to Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport. The disruptions began early in the morning, prompting the Israeli Ministry of Transportation to launch an unusual investigation into the causes.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev has been briefed on the developing chaos and instructed the ministry's director-general to take strong action against any deliberate interference with airport operations. The ministry is examining whether the disruptions stem from operational failures during this busy period or from a deliberate "Italian strike" affecting ground services, a claim currently denied by the Ben Gurion Airport workers' union.

The union has rejected allegations of a strike or intentional slowdown, distancing itself from responsibility for the disturbances. The ministry has warned that if the investigation confirms a deliberate strike, it will respond harshly against those responsible. The situation remains tense as authorities seek to clarify whether the chaos is due to labor disputes or logistical issues during one of the busiest days at the airport.