Ben Gurion Airport remained among the most disrupted airports in the world Friday, nearly 24 hours after a wildcat strike by airport workers triggered widespread cancellations and delays during one of Israel’s busiest travel periods of the year.

According to Flightradar24 data, Ben Gurion was the world’s most disrupted airport for departures Friday morning, with delays averaging between 70 and 90 minutes.

When both arrivals and departures were included, Ben Gurion ranked 10th globally Friday morning before deteriorating to the second-most disrupted airport worldwide by mid-afternoon.

The lingering chaos followed Thursday’s surprise work stoppage, when employees abandoned check-in counters and incoming flights were temporarily halted. The strike was reportedly driven by workers’ complaints over severe staffing shortages amid the massive August travel rush.

The Histadrut said it had not authorized the walkout.

Thursday had been expected to be Ben Gurion’s busiest travel day in the past year, with approximately 107,000 passengers and more than 600 takeoffs and landings scheduled.

Airport employees returned to work by Thursday afternoon, but airlines and airport officials warned that clearing the massive backlog and returning aircraft and crews to their proper schedules would take time.

Israel Airports Authority chairman Yiftach Ron-Tal said Thursday that operations were being rapidly increased.

“I’m glad to say, the airport is returning to full operations, and even beyond that. We’re ramping up the number of departing flights, and will be doubling them in the coming hours,” Ron-Tal said.

“I’m very hopeful that by morning, we’ll have reached a point where the airport is functioning normally,” he added.

Despite those efforts, major disruptions continued Friday.

The Finance Ministry has estimated that Thursday’s strike caused approximately NIS 30 million in economic damage.

The work stoppage has also exploded into a political controversy.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s Likud party stripped airport workers’ union chairman Pinchas Idan of his party membership following the strike.

Likud officials alleged that the walkout was politically motivated and intended to damage Transportation Minister Miri Regev and, indirectly, Netanyahu.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)