Ben Gurion Airport parking lots full, travelers told to arrive by public transportation
Israel Airports Authority says parking has hit capacity due to peak Jewish holiday travel season: ‘No parking spaces are available until further notice’
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Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s main international gateway, has run out of parking spaces due to the peak Jewish holiday travel season, the Israel Airports Authority announced Sunday, calling on travelers to use public transportation to reach the airport rather than private vehicles.
“Due to the high volume of travelers during the Tishrei holidays, Ben Gurion Airport parking lots are currently at full capacity,” the Israel Airports Authority said in a statement, referring to the Jewish month.
“No parking spaces are available until further notice,” it said. The shortage includes both long- and short-term parking lots. “We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.”
The airport authority further told all travelers to avoid arriving at the airport by private car, and instead use public transportation.
It added that it would provide updates later if the situation changes.
If the parking shortage continues through Shabbat — when buses and trains do not run — travelers would need to pay for taxis to reach the airport, which can be upwards of 300 NIS ($100) if coming from outside of central Israel.
An estimated 2.5 million people were expected to pass through the airport over the holiday period.
The parking shutdown comes just a month after a wildcat strike among airport workers at Ben Gurion sparked chaos and caused extensive delays, flight cancellations and caused damage estimated at NIS 25-30 million ($8-10 million).
The work stoppage, which the Israel Airports Authority labor union denied having called, evolved as check-in counters and baggage handling were left unmanned after staff walked off at the end of their scheduled shift around noon on August 20, rather than continuing for overtime hours.
The labor disruption came after weeks of workers’ complaints about a personnel shortage to handle the large influx of passengers passing through the airport during the summer vacation and Jewish holiday rush, the busiest time of the year.
The Times of Israel Community.