Thousands of travelers encountered significant delays Tuesday evening at Ben Gurion Airport as long lines, baggage processing bottlenecks, and flight delays disrupted operations throughout the terminal. The congestion comes despite the date not having been projected as one of August’s busiest travel days, just weeks before the airport is expected to handle more than 2.8 million passengers during the month.

Passengers reported that delays began almost immediately upon entering the airport, with lengthy waits at check-in counters and baggage drop-off stations. At the same time, numerous departing flights were delayed as congestion spread throughout the terminal.

According to sources familiar with airport operations, one of the primary causes of the disruption was a shortage of personnel among the ground handling companies responsible for servicing passengers, baggage, and aircraft. The staffing shortfall, they said, has made it difficult to keep pace with the heavy passenger volume.

One traveler described the scene to the Hayom newspaper, saying, “More than two hours since we arrived and we still haven’t checked our bags. Biggest chaos I’ve ever seen.” She added that, in addition to regular travelers, the terminal was crowded with large groups of young participants in the Birthright Israel program. “Flights are leaving five minutes apart, and every second someone else gets pushed ahead of us,” she said.

For many passengers, the delays continued even after completing check-in. One traveler headed to Crete said that after finally boarding, his flight remained on the ground for nearly two additional hours before takeoff.

“We boarded an hour late, and then sat on the plane for almost another hour before takeoff while they loaded the luggage. It was a complete mess,” he said. According to the passenger, travelers seated nearby were booked on a flight to Rhodes that had originally been scheduled to depart at 2:00 p.m., but they were informed during boarding that the departure had been pushed back until 7:00 p.m.

The heavy traffic seen Tuesday night comes as aviation officials continue preparing for one of the busiest travel periods of the year. August is expected to bring record passenger volumes through Israel’s main international airport.

Current forecasts indicate that more than 2.8 million passengers will pass through Ben Gurion Airport this month, averaging approximately 100,000 travelers per day. That would represent an increase of roughly 24 percent compared to August of last year.

Even so, Tuesday’s disruptions stood out because Aug. 11 had not been identified in advance as one of the month’s peak travel days. The long waits and widespread flight delays have raised concerns about how the airport system will cope on dates expected to see even heavier passenger traffic.

Much of the pressure centered on the airport’s ground handling operations. While many travelers associate these services with Ben Gurion Airport itself, passenger check-in, baggage handling, and aircraft servicing are carried out by several private ground service companies that operate on behalf of the airlines.

As a result, delays in baggage processing and aircraft turnaround times cannot automatically be attributed to Ben Gurion Airport or the Israel Airports Authority. Instead, they may stem from operational bottlenecks, staffing shortages, and the ability of the ground service providers to handle the volume of passengers.

The Israel Airports Authority has already taken steps to prepare for the busy summer travel season. During July, it advised passengers to arrive approximately three hours before departure, complete online check-in whenever possible, verify their departure terminal in advance, and use self-service baggage tagging and drop-off stations when available.

Tuesday night’s events, however, highlighted the limitations of those recommendations when the primary bottleneck occurs within the baggage handling and ground service system. Even travelers who arrived several hours before their flights found themselves waiting for extended periods before completing the departure process.