Transport Collapse: Data on Flight Cancellations at Ben-Gurion

Ben-Gurion Airport faced a transport collapse: from August 5 to 11, 136 flights were canceled and 950 were delayed by more than an hour. Average departure wait time rose from 40 to 74.3 minutes. Only 30.1% of 3,598 flights departed on time. The cause: Greek quotas on transit flights and the presence of American refueling aircraft. Worst punctuality: Wizz Air; best: Flydubai.

Ben-Gurion Airport experienced a transport collapse due to the peak holiday season. During the week of August 5-11, 136 flights were canceled and 950 departures were delayed by more than an hour. The average departure delay nearly doubled compared to July, rising from 40 to 74.3 minutes. Of 3,598 aircraft, only 30.1% adhered to schedule. About 600 airliners were delayed up to two hours, and 358 by more than two hours. Compared to late July, the duration of delays increased by 86% and the number of cancellations by 64%. Daily passenger flow exceeded 100,000 people with 600 takeoff and landing operations. Low-cost carriers showed the worst punctuality, for example Wizz Air with an average delay of over 118 minutes, while Flydubai was recognized as the leader in schedule adherence. On the Spanish route, planes to Barcelona departed on time in only 9.1% of cases. Arriving traffic also suffered: TUS Airways and Blue Bird had multi-hour delays. The main cause cited is the saturation of the skies over Greece, where strict quotas on transit flights have been introduced. The situation is exacerbated by the presence of American refueling aircraft. Airport management insists that delays are beyond their control and advises passengers to arrive 3 hours early. Airlines confirm the difficulties but assure that by the end of the day they complete the entire program.