Passengers at Ben-Gurion Face an Unpleasant 'Surprise' - New Details

The Israel Airports Authority has changed the baggage drop-off procedure at Ben-Gurion Airport: now suitcases are accepted no earlier than three hours before departure, whereas previously Israeli airlines started four hours in advance during peak season. The new rules took effect on August 3 and have already caused inconvenience. Exceptions are made for organized groups by prior arrangement. In July, the airport expected about 2.3 million passengers, a quarter more than a year earlier.

The Israel Airports Authority has changed the baggage drop-off procedure at Ben-Gurion Airport, introducing a restriction: now suitcases can be dropped off no earlier than three hours before departure, whereas previously Israeli airlines accepted baggage four hours in advance during peak periods. The new rules took effect on August 3 and have already caused inconvenience for passengers, especially those accustomed to arriving early. Foreign carriers typically started check-in three hours in advance, while local ones used shared counters for multiple flights, allowing load distribution. Now counters may open earlier, but baggage dropped off more than three hours in advance is not processed, as sorting areas are not operational at that time. The authority emphasizes that this is not new: as early as November 18, 2025, airlines were notified that sorting begins three hours before departure. Exceptions are possible for organized groups by prior arrangement. The restriction is especially noticeable amid the summer rush: in July, the airport expected about 2.3 million passengers—a quarter more than a year earlier—and on some days the flow reached 90–94 thousand people and about 560 flights. Earlier reports indicated the reason was overload of the baggage system and staff shortages.