Ben Gurion Airport Collapses, and Miri Regev and Her Ministry's Senior Officials Fly to a Private Vacation in Morocco
Arkia launches a new route to Marrakech today, and Transport Minister Miri Regev and her ministry's senior officials join the flight, despite the heavy congestion at Ben Gurion Airport. The ministry emphasizes that the flight is private and privately funded, but the timing is controversial. Over the past week, average delays of one hour, waits of up to two and a half hours for luggage, and long queues have been recorded.
Arkia will launch its route to Marrakech today, after three years of inactivity. Joining the festive flight will be Transport Minister Miri Regev, ministry director general Moshe Ben Zaken, and head of the Public Transportation Authority Idan Mualem. The Transport Ministry stresses that this is a private flight, privately funded by all participants, and not an official flight. However, the timing is controversial, as these days the Israeli aviation industry faces many challenges, foremost among them huge delays and unusual congestion at Ben Gurion Airport. The situation is caused, among other things, by fuel tankers parking at Ben Gurion, air congestion in Greece, and a shortage of manpower. Over the past week, an average delay of one hour in takeoffs and landings was recorded, waits of up to two and a half hours for baggage collection, endless queues at check-in counters and security screening, and even hours of waiting in closed planes awaiting takeoff approval. Ministry officials receive continuous reports on the long waiting times, and despite declarations that Regev and her people prevented cancellations, it is hard to see how summer 2026 can be viewed as a success in this field.