Ben-Gurion descended into chaos - passengers stranded for hours

A multi-hour delay of an Arkia flight to Albania caused chaos at Ben-Gurion Airport. Passengers, including journalist Linoy Bar-Gefen, faced huge queues, problems with baggage return, and a lack of information. The airline attributed the delay to a late takeoff permit.

A multi-hour delay of an Arkia flight to Albania caused chaos at Ben-Gurion Airport. Passengers, including journalist Linoy Bar-Gefen, spent over eight hours in the terminal. The flight to Tirana, scheduled for Tuesday at 15:00, was first postponed to 19:00 and then to 23:00. Terminal 1 was overcrowded, with some passengers lying on the floor and others standing in long lines. Serious problems arose with returning checked baggage for those who decided to cancel their trip. No Arkia representative was present on site. Passengers with carts had to move from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3 to report their decision and obtain an exit permit. Bar-Gefen published an emotional warning for her followers not to approach the airport. Passengers were given meal vouchers, but this led to another long queue. A voucher received around 17:00 was only valid until 19:00. The reasons for the delay varied: Bar-Gefen was told about airport overload, while other passengers mentioned a technical malfunction. Arkia attributed the delay to a late takeoff permit and apologized.