Flight Delays at Ben Gurion Airport Worsen Due to Greek Airspace Restrictions

Ben Gurion Airport is experiencing increased congestion and delays as Greek aviation authorities currently limit the number of flights allowed to pass through Greek airspace en route to Europe. This restriction has caused delays for several flights departing from Ben Gurion in the coming hours. The Israel Airports Authority advised travelers to check with their airlines for updated flight times before arriving at the airport.

In recent days, Ben Gurion has been dealing with heavy congestion not only in the airspace but also on the ground, including check-in, security screening, and baggage collection. The new restrictions over Greece are expected to exacerbate these issues. According to the airport's congestion index, average delays currently stand at about 30 minutes for landings and 41 minutes for takeoffs.

Since the start of the day, 186 out of 293 departing flights have been delayed by more than 15 minutes, and 107 out of 294 arriving flights have landed late by over 15 minutes. The most significant delays include an Arkia flight to Rhodes delayed by seven and a half hours and another Arkia flight to Vienna delayed by over five hours. Arkia also experienced major arrival delays, with flights from Batumi and Rhodes landing six hours and 18 minutes and six hours and 10 minutes late, respectively.