Greece becomes a headache for Ben-Gurion — flights are delayed

Overcrowding of Greek airspace is causing delays for flights from Ben-Gurion Airport. Greek authorities limit the number of transit aircraft during high traffic intensity. In July, about 430,000 passengers traveled between Israel and Greece. The Israel Civil Aviation Authority cited overcrowding of the skies over Greece as the main factor in the disruptions.

Passengers at Ben-Gurion Airport are facing flight delays due to overcrowding of Greek airspace, through which a significant portion of routes from Israel to Europe pass. Over the past two weeks, Greek authorities have limited the number of aircraft allowed to cross the country's airspace during high traffic intensity. The problem also affects Greek airports: the air hubs of Crete, Kos, and Corfu are among the leaders in delay duration — averaging about 100–110 minutes. According to Eurocontrol, in July the Athens air traffic control center accumulated about 6,400 minutes of delays daily. The cause is the enormous popularity of Greece among tourists: the annual flow has reached approximately 40 million people, 40% above pre-pandemic levels. In July, about 430,000 passengers traveled between Israel and Greece — roughly 19% of all those who went abroad through Ben-Gurion. On August 22, the situation at Ben-Gurion remained relatively calm, with most flights departing with minor delays.