Israeli settlers face flight delays amid strikes at Ben Gurion Airport on July 25, 2025. (Photo via Israeli media)
Operations at Ben Gurion Airport in the Israeli-occupied territories were thrown into disarray as workers staged an unannounced strike over pay and staffing shortages, causing widespread flight delays and passenger chaos.
Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv experienced major flight disruption on Friday after airport employees launched a sudden strike.
The industrial action caused severe delays, flight cancellations, and crowding throughout the airport, with frustrated travelers stuck in terminals for hours, according to local media reports.
Despite claims from the Airports Authority Workers’ Committee that “there is no strike” and that the disruption is due to a “manpower shortage,” the scale and timing of the halt in operations suggest otherwise.
The move bears the hallmarks of an “Italian strike” — a form of labor protest in which workers strictly follow regulations or slow down operations, effectively paralyzing services without formally declaring a strike.
According to Israel’s Channel 12, the workers are demanding better pay and improved working conditions. Employees say long-standing understaffing has pushed them to the brink, creating exhaustion and deteriorating service levels.
The protest was reportedly triggered by mounting frustration over the lack of progress in addressing their demands.
In a statement, the Airports Authority said it is working closely with employees “to solve the issue as soon as possible.”
The latest disruption adds to a series of operational challenges at Ben Gurion Airport. In recent months, the facility has faced multiple shutdowns due to retaliatory missile and drone strikes by Yemeni forces, targeting Israeli sites in support of the Palestinians in Gaza.
The airport was also shut down during Iran’s Operation True Promise 3, which came in response to the Israeli aggression against the country starting on June 13. Iran’s strong missile response forced the regime to accept a unilateral ceasefire 12 days after it initiated the war.
Travel backlogs and delays persisted at the airport for days following the start of the ceasefire.
Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses: