Ben-Gurion Airport delays stretch into third day as strike effects continue

The flight delays plaguing Ben-Gurion Airport are continuing into their third day following a strike on Friday led by Israel Airports Authority (IAA) workers’ union chairman Pinchas Idan, with the chairman rejecting claims that he was responsible for the airport shutdown in an interview with KAN News on Saturday.

Multitudes of arrival delays are expected on Sunday, some stretching as long as 10 hours, with some departure delays breaching the four-hour mark.

According to Walla, the IAA workers' union attributes the delays to a labor shortage, saying at least 500 more workers are needed across the airport and linked facilities.

Idan claimed that not enough luggage handlers are available, Walla reported, forcing those who are available to work 12-hour shifts amid a regional heatwave. He noted that some of the shortage is due to workers reporting for required IDF reserve service.

Despite Idan's comments, Walla learned that the number of luggage handlers at the airport has increased over the past six years, while passenger numbers have decreased during the same period.

A source familiar with the issue told Walla that the union did not request more workers in 2019 despite the year marking a record in passenger traffic for Ben-Gurion Airport, a claim the union rejects.

"The committee always wants more workers, and that's fine, but in this case there is no shortage of porters, because there are more," the source said. "Besides, there is no connection between needs on the ground and closing down the country."

A decrease in motivation amongst airport workers

An additional source told Walla that overall motivation amongst airport workers has decreased in recent years, partially due to an increase in permanent workers and a decrease in temporary workers.

According to the source, temporary workers are "less worn out, more flexible and motivated, while permanent workers are less eager to work."

"A change needs to be made in the operating model," the source added. "This needs to be done in cooperation with the workers' union."

Netanyahu moves against Idan's Likud membership

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began a push to remove Idan's Likud Party membership after the airport strike, filing an urgent petition with the Likud’s Supreme Court describing the strike as a “political and illegal shutdown,” which it alleged targeted the party, Netanyahu himself, and Transportation Minister Miri Regev.

Idan addressed the allegations during his KAN interview, emphasizing that he "never received anything from Likud" in his lifetime.

He blamed the airport manager for the chaos, then refused to comment on whether the delays will continue throughout the week.