Collapse at Ben-Gurion: Delays and Staff Shortage at Peak Season

Ben-Gurion Airport is facing an operational crisis at the peak of the summer season: about 100,000 passengers a day are dealing with chaos, baggage delays, and staff shortages. The Airports Authority denies a staffing deficit, calling the delays temporary.

Israel's main international airport, Ben-Gurion, is experiencing a major operational crisis coinciding with the peak of the summer holidays. Due to the enormous passenger flow, reaching 100,000 people a day and about 2.6 million a month, the country's main terminal is facing a systemic failure in baggage handling. Travelers arriving from Europe and other destinations are forced to wait for hours at frozen conveyor belts, while hundreds of abandoned and unclaimed suitcases pile up in the arrivals hall. Passengers report waiting 1–1.5 hours for their belongings or having to search for them among bags chaotically unloaded along the walls, while ground workers in private conversations admit to a catastrophic staff shortage and high workload. The situation is compounded by the fact that only about 47 airlines are currently operating at the airport—less than half the pre-war volume—so the main flow has been taken on by Israeli aviation. This has led to a high density of flights, with several large flights landing almost simultaneously due to delays and air congestion in Europe. Despite complaints from citizens and witnesses, the Israel Airports Authority categorically denies a staff shortage, stating that the system is operating normally and that local baggage delays are temporary and related solely to the high concentration of arriving flights during peak hours.