A surprise work action by ground crews at Ben Gurion Airport caused major disruptions Friday morning, leaving many passengers stranded and flights significantly delayed.
Frustrated travelers at the airport in Lod reported being stuck for hours with no flight updates displayed on the terminal screens. In one case, a pilot reportedly informed passengers already aboard a plane that takeoff would be delayed due to the ongoing labor action.
While passengers referred to the disruption as a “work slowdown” or “Italian strike,” the airport’s workers’ union denied that a strike was taking place. Instead, they blamed the delays on a staffing shortage.
“There is no strike,” said a representative of the workers’ committee. “What’s happening is the result of a surge in passenger volume while staffing levels remain insufficient.”
The Israel Airports Authority acknowledged the situation in a statement: “The management of the Airports Authority is working in cooperation with the employees. Given the current congestion, we are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. We apologize to the passengers for the delays.”
