Strike at Ben Gurion Airport Costs Israel 30 Million Shekels in One Day

The Israeli Ministry of Finance estimates that the recent strike at Ben Gurion Airport caused a financial loss of approximately 30 million shekels in a single day. This figure includes lost fees and commissions from canceled flights, reduced productivity due to Israelis canceling vacations, delays in air cargo arrivals, and other related factors. However, officials emphasize that the greater damage is to Israel's reputation among international airlines. Flight prices to and from Israel remain very high, partly due to numerous cancellations over the past three years of conflict and the fact that many airlines have yet to resume flights to the country. The chaos caused by the strike is likely to push foreign airlines away and further increase already elevated ticket prices.

Airport Authority representatives and the workers' union claim the strike will not affect the upcoming weekend, when hundreds of thousands of passengers are expected at Ben Gurion. Yet, some sources predict delays, with one local airline estimating it could take about a day to stabilize the flight schedule. The strike was led by Pinchas Idan, chairman of the Airport Authority workers' union, who previously shut down the airport two years ago amid political turmoil linked to judicial reforms. At that time, the Likud party considered expelling him but ultimately decided against it after he acknowledged his mistake and expressed regret. Party officials warned they would not hesitate to remove him if he leads similar actions in the future.