{"id":61579,"date":"2026-08-23T12:53:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-23T16:53:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/ben-gurion-airport-delays-stretch-into-third-day-as-strike-effects-continue\/23\/08\/2026\/"},"modified":"2026-08-23T12:53:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T16:53:18","slug":"ben-gurion-airport-delays-stretch-into-third-day-as-strike-effects-continue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/ben-gurion-airport-delays-stretch-into-third-day-as-strike-effects-continue\/23\/08\/2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Ben-Gurion Airport delays stretch into third day as strike effects continue"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\" data-body-type=\"bodyblocks\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">IAA workers&#8217; union chairman Pinchas Idan rejected allegations of responsibility during an interview with KAN, instead blaming the airport manager for the chaos.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The flight delays plaguing <a data-ylk=\"slk:Ben-Gurion Airport;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jpost.com\/israel-news\/article-906202\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Ben-Gurion Airport<\/a> are continuing into their third day following a strike on Friday led by Israel Airports Authority (IAA) workers&#8217; 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.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Multitudes of arrival delays are expected on Sunday, some stretching as long as 10 hours, with some departure delays breaching the four-hour mark.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">According to <em>Walla<\/em>, the <a data-ylk=\"slk:IAA;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jpost.com\/israel-news\/article-906190\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">IAA<\/a> workers&#8217; union attributes the delays to a labor shortage, saying at least 500 more workers are needed across the airport and linked facilities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a data-ylk=\"slk:Idan;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jpost.com\/israel-news\/article-906269\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Idan<\/a> claimed that not enough luggage handlers are available, <em>Walla<\/em> 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.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Despite Idan&#8217;s comments, <em>Walla<\/em> 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.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-primary p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-primary\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"flex-none size-4 -scale-x-100 text-primary lg:size-6 [&amp;_path]:fill-current\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M3.1 3.1V11h1.8V6.314l5.392 5.393 1.415-1.414L6.313 4.9H11V3.1zm17.8 17.8V13h-1.8v4.686l-5.393-5.393-1.415 1.414 5.393 5.393H13v1.8z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-primary hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<div style=\"max-height:none;overflow:visible\"><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\"><\/p>\n<p>The Ben-Gurion Airport arrivals flight board showing flight delays on August 23, 2026. (credit: Screenshot\/IAA)<\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">A source familiar with the issue told <em>Walla<\/em> 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.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;The committee always wants more workers, and that&#8217;s fine, but in this case there is no shortage of porters, because there are more,&#8221; the source said. &#8220;Besides, there is no connection between needs on the ground and closing down the country.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"mb-4 text-lg font-bold\">A decrease in motivation amongst airport workers<\/h3>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">An additional source told <em>Walla<\/em> 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.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">According to the source, temporary workers are &#8220;less worn out, more flexible and motivated, while permanent workers are less eager to work.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;A change needs to be made in the operating model,&#8221; the source added. &#8220;This needs to be done in cooperation with the workers&#8217; union.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"mb-4 text-lg font-bold\">Netanyahu moves against Idan&#8217;s Likud membership<\/h3>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Prime Minister <a data-ylk=\"slk:Benjamin Netanyahu;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jpost.com\/israel-news\/article-906204\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a> began a push to remove Idan&#8217;s Likud Party membership after the airport strike, filing an urgent petition with the Likud&#8217;s Supreme Court describing the strike as a &#8220;political and illegal shutdown,&#8221; which it alleged targeted the party, Netanyahu himself, and Transportation Minister Miri Regev.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Idan addressed the allegations during his KAN interview, emphasizing that he &#8220;never received anything from Likud&#8221; in his lifetime.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">He blamed the airport manager for the chaos, then refused to comment on whether the delays will continue throughout the week.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>Moshe Cohen contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/us\/articles\/ben-gurion-airport-delays-stretch-152824291.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>IAA workers&rsquo; union chairman Pinchas Idan rejected allegations of responsibility during an interview with KAN, instead blaming the airport manager for the<br \/><button class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/ben-gurion-airport-delays-stretch-into-third-day-as-strike-effects-continue\/23\/08\/2026\/\">Read More &rsaquo;<\/a><\/button><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":61580,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-61579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/e3db3e001a9033e2c98891357c6af0e58756b2ae096e7acb7b917e9b945db442\/lightyear_networkapi\/resizefill_w1200%3Bquality_80%3Bformat_jpg\/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Fjerusalem_post_articles_818%2Faf1ed0b6062dd9799e33a3b2ef75eae5.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61579"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61579\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61580"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}