Airports Authority: Leave Your Suitcases at Home

By Shimon B. Lifkin

YERUSHALAYIM – The Israel Airports Authority has suggested a way for passengers to ease the check-in woes at Ben Gurion Airport: Don’t take suitcases.

Ofer Lapler, spokesman for the IAA, said that he recommended people to bring small suitcases on wheels that could be taken on board as hand luggage, rather than larger pieces of luggage that need to be checked in, according to The Times of Israel on Sunday.

Lapler also advised people “come with patience” in order to withstand the congestion and chaotic conditions caused by ongoing staff shortages at the airport.

To remedy the shortfall of about 1,400 workers, he invited more people to apply for employment at the airport, which he described as “a great place to work.”

The staff shortages became acute after pandemic travel restrictions were mostly lifted in March, but Ben Gurion hasn’t caught up with the renewed demand, a situation that Lapler said exists at airports and airlines in a number of countries, and claimed that Israel was actually in an “excellent position.”

Lapler noted that since March, the airport has seen a 340% increase in passengers and flights.

In addition, El Al customers have suffered from numerous flight cancellations as pilots strike to demand that the company return their salaries to pre-COVID levels.