Fresh delays expected at Ben Gurion airport due to shortages during Jewish holiday season

Ben Gurion Airport is set to be thrown into chaos again as ground staff shortages are reportedly causing delays to numerous flights ahead of the peak Jewish holiday season starting at the end of this week, Israel’s Channel 12 reports.

Ben Gurion Airport employees told Channel 12 that the temporary reinforcement of additional personnel following the August wildcat strike event has ended, and that the shortage among ground staff responsible for loading and unloading luggage has been acutely felt.

In response, the Israel Airports Authority says Ben Gurion Airport is operating “normally during this peak period.”

“The Israel Airports Authority categorically rejects any attempt to disseminate false information,” the IAA says in a statement. “Ben Gurion Airport is operating according to a pre-planned staffing strategy to handle peak-season congestion ahead of the Jewish holidays.”

“Just as was done during July and August, staffing levels are being continuously reinforced throughout the holiday period to align with operational needs and projected demand,” the IAA says.

Last week, IAA management and the workers’ union reached an agreement to ensure smooth, continuous operations amid peak flight and passenger traffic expected during the busy Jewish holiday period.

The agreement follows last month’s wildcat strike over staff shortages, which caused delays and cancellations for travelers on Ben Gurion Airport’s busiest day of the year. The operational disruption sparked concerns that the airport wasn’t equipped to handle heavy traffic during the Jewish holidays.