Head of Israel Airports Workers Union Blames Management for Ben Gurion Chaos, Warns of Ongoing Disruptions

Pinchas Idan, chairman of the Israel Airports Authority workers union, responded for the first time after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expelled him from the Likud party following the recent chaos at Ben Gurion Airport. In an interview with Kan News, Idan refused to guarantee that the operational disruptions would not continue into the following week, citing unresolved staff shortages as the main cause. "I do not promise anything," he said when asked if the public could expect smoother operations soon.

Idan rejected claims that the union initiated the strike that led to massive disruptions, instead placing responsibility on the airport management. He stated, "I did not close Ben Gurion, the airport manager did. Everything is documented and filmed." He explained the crisis stemmed from an unusual workload on baggage handlers, who started shifts at 3 a.m. and were expected to work until late afternoon, leading them to request to leave due to exhaustion.

He announced plans to petition the labor court to prevent baggage handlers from working 12-hour shifts, questioning the safety of such schedules given the average worker age of 40 to 50 and the physical toll involved. Regarding Netanyahu's decision to remove him from Likud, Idan appeared unfazed, saying, "I never received anything from Likud." He also denied acting for political motives or deliberately disrupting the flight of Transportation Minister Miri Regev, stating he personally helped load her plane alongside Major General Ron Tal.

Netanyahu justified Idan's expulsion by accusing him of orchestrating an illegal strike that harmed Israeli citizens and the economy. Idan maintained there was no strike but rather a management decision to reduce airport activity due to a long-anticipated labor shortage, which the workers' union had repeatedly warned about.