Ben Gurion Airport Faces Severe Flight Disruptions Amidst Staff Strike
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, a report originating from the Palestinian Shehab News Agency, citing the Hebrew newspaper ‘Times of Israel,’ indicates that Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv has been subjected to the most severe flight disruptions globally. The average delay for outgoing flights has reached between 70 to 90 minutes.
The report detailed that on Thursday, the airport experienced widespread disarray and chaos following a halt in flight operations and a sudden, collective strike by its employees. Israeli media outlets confirmed that the landing operations at Ben Gurion Airport had been suspended due to the staff strike.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the situation at Ben Gurion Airport on social media platform X, stating, “Ben Gurion Airport will continue to operate. Whoever obstructs its activities will be flown home.”
Hebrew Channel 14 reported that Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich criticized the striking workers at Ben Gurion Airport, accusing them of holding Israelis hostage. The Israeli Airport Authority released a statement through Israeli regime media, labeling the halt in operations at Ben Gurion Airport during the peak summer season as an “extreme, unacceptable, severe, and unnecessary action.”
The Israeli regime’s Minister of Transport called for severe penalties against the striking individuals at Ben Gurion Airport. He stated, “I have asked airport officials to refer the workers’ committee to court to compel them to end this illegal and criminal strike. Whoever decided to hold tens of thousands of people hostage will pay a heavy price.”
Israeli regime media also reported that significant crowds and considerable delays were recorded at Ben Gurion International Airport on Friday morning. This situation contributed to prolonged wait times for passenger baggage claim and the transfer of luggage to aircraft.
A shortage of personnel in the ground services sector has been identified as a primary factor contributing to these congestions. This department is reportedly unable to fully accommodate the volume of flights during peak operational hours.
