Travelers arriving at Ben Gurion Airport on Monday hoping to depart after the airport reopened for outbound flights were stunned to learn that despite holding valid tickets, many were still unable to board their planes.

The unclear and shifting instructions triggered widespread frustration among passengers, with heated arguments, pushing, and confrontations breaking out in the terminal. Police were ultimately called in to restore order amid the turmoil.

כאוס בנתב"ג: באל על קיבלו אתמול אישור להעלות 200 נוסעים בחלק מהטיסות – אך היום המספר ירד חזרה ל-50 – נוסעים רבים נותרו זועמים בדלפקי הצ'אק אין לאחר שהגיעו לנתב"ג.

דיילי קרקע: "איבוד עשתונות – סגרו דלפקי צ'ק אין. יש אלימות בין המשטרה לנוסעים"@Dean_Fisher_ pic.twitter.com/VWNGoTxD3X

— החדשות – N12 (@N12News) March 9, 2026

The confusion was traced to a sudden overnight reversal of wartime travel regulations. Just a day earlier, authorities had approved an increase in the number of passengers allowed on each flight, raising the cap from 100 to 200 people. Following that decision, airlines began offering additional seats to hundreds of customers who had previously been placed on waiting lists.

But during the night, the policy was abruptly rolled back without prior notice. The passenger limit was restored to 100 people per flight, leaving hundreds of travelers holding confirmed tickets for flights that no longer had space for them.

When those passengers arrived at the airport and approached the check-in counters, airline staff were forced to determine on the spot which travelers would be permitted to board and which would be denied seats.

Footage circulating from inside the airport showed tense and chaotic scenes as stranded travelers confronted airline representatives. “There are elderly people here. Why are you doing this? Take responsibility,” one passenger could be heard shouting at an airline employee.