Airport Workers Warn of Repeat Chaos at Ben Gurion Without More Staff Hires

Pnechas Idan, chairman of the Airport Authority workers' union, addressed the severe disruptions at Ben Gurion Airport last Thursday during the peak tourist season. Speaking on 103FM, Idan warned that unless more employees are recruited immediately, similar chaos could recur during the upcoming holidays. He stated that if new workers are hired within the next two days, the situation could stabilize by the end of August; otherwise, the airport will face significant operational difficulties.

The disruptions involved massive queues and operational breakdowns attributed to a sudden strike by airport authority workers. The union faced criticism, including from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who declared that the airport would remain open and warned that anyone obstructing operations would be dismissed. Subsequently, Netanyahu filed a petition with the Likud party's supreme court seeking to expel Idan from the party, accusing him of orchestrating a political strike against the government.

Idan responded by announcing the formation of an investigative committee with management to examine the events. He emphatically denied ordering any flight stoppages or shutdowns of airport systems, pledging to take full responsibility if proven otherwise. He also dismissed allegations that he tried to delay Transportation Minister Miri Regev's flight, calling such claims baseless and illogical.

Idan criticized the new management team at the airport authority as inexperienced and possibly unprepared for crisis situations. He urged the media to show more support for the workers rather than blame them, emphasizing the documented nature of airport operations through surveillance footage that could clarify the facts.

Summary: Pnechas Idan, head of the airport workers' union, warned that without urgent hiring, Ben Gurion Airport will face repeated operational chaos during the holidays following last week's strike-related disruptions. He denied responsibility for the disruptions and called for an investigation, while Prime Minister Netanyahu condemned the strike and sought to expel Idan from Likud.