Tens of thousands of passengers faced extraordinary disruption at Israel’s main airport on Wednesday as flight cancellations compounded lengthy queues at check-in desks. Travellers reported standing shoulder-to-shoulder for extended periods, with one passenger bound for Spain expressing her dismay at the situation. ‘I feel so sorry for Israel,’ said Michelle, whose flight to Spain was among those cancelled. Another passenger, Michal, who was due to fly to the Netherlands, described the crowding in blunt terms: ‘A hundred thousand people pressed up against each other.’ The chaos extended to the arrivals hall, where passengers reported waiting up to four hours to collect their luggage. The disruptions at Ben Gurion Airport, located south of Tel Aviv and serving as Israel’s primary international transport hub, appeared to stem from operational difficulties that forced the temporary suspension of some services. Airport authorities gradually resumed normal operations throughout the day, though the knock-on effects of the cancellations continued to impact passenger flow and facilities across the terminal.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.