Israel Prepares for Sukkot Travel Surge Amid Flight Delays

Ben Gurion Airport (Natbag) anticipates a significant surge in passenger traffic during the Sukkot holiday period, with approximately 1.13 million travelers expected between September 22 and October 4. This translates to over half a million Israelis traveling abroad. Popular destinations include Greece, Cyprus, Italy, the UAE, the US, Germany, Georgia, and France. Ramon Airport will handle around 35,000 passengers, Haifa Airport about 22,000, and land border crossings are projected to see 157,000 travelers.

Daily passenger numbers at Ben Gurion Airport are expected to exceed 90,000 during Sukkot, with peaks of 105,000 on the first Thursday and 100,000 on the following Thursday. These high volumes echo those seen in the previous month, which led to significant disruptions and flight delays. Despite the previous chaos being resolved, delays persist, with an average departure delay of 52 minutes over the past week, and only 16% of flights departing on time. Arrival delays averaged 38 minutes, with 55% of flights landing punctually.

Among airlines, Tus Airways experienced the longest average departure delays at 103 minutes, followed by Bluebird (90 minutes) and Arkia (53 minutes). The most delayed destinations were Corfu, Greece (114 minutes average), Barcelona (104 minutes), and Heraklion, Greece (65 minutes).

Despite security concerns preventing Israeli airlines from flying to the UAE until the end of October, Dubai remains a highly sought-after destination. Israelis are circumventing this by flying with foreign carriers like Flydubai and Etihad, which have experienced minimal delays. The Airports Authority advises passengers to check in online, print baggage tags at self-service stations, utilize the fast lane for carry-on luggage, and stay updated with their airlines regarding any changes.