Chaos Continues at Ben Gurion Airport with Hours-Long Delays and Flight Cancellations Before Sabbath

Ben Gurion Airport is still experiencing significant disruptions following a strike that took place the previous day. Although airport staff have returned to work, the backlog from the strike continues to cause delays of at least 90 minutes for departures and additional delays of two to three hours for baggage handling. Despite some improvement compared to the previous day, many flights remain delayed, with most departing alongside passengers' luggage. The Israel Airports Authority has established a special task force working overnight with airlines and ground service companies to clear the baggage backlog for both departing and arriving passengers, expecting to complete this process today.

The delays are particularly problematic for airlines like El Al, which does not operate flights on the Sabbath. The accumulated delays have already forced El Al to cancel a flight from New York after passengers had boarded, and further cancellations may follow if delays persist. To mitigate passenger inconvenience, El Al is offering vouchers for future flights to customers who choose not to fly today, emphasizing that the disruptions are beyond its control but providing this option as a customer service measure.

Examples of the delays include a flight to Larnaca originally scheduled for 21:55 the previous night, which departed at 08:00 this morning, and an Arkia flight to Batumi delayed from 20:00 the previous night to 09:00 today. These delays mean that passengers observing the Sabbath should prepare for significant wait times or flights departing after the Sabbath begins. The Israel Airports Authority's task force aims to resolve the situation promptly, but the current flight schedule remains heavily impacted by the strike's aftermath.