51,000 passengers will pass through Ben Gurion Airport today (Thursday). The number, the highest of course since the beginning of the year, indicates a happy return to life in the tourism and aviation industries, but brings heavy loads at Israel's entrance and exit gate against the backdrop of the Corona.
>> Do not want to get stuck at Ben Gurion Airport? This will shorten the queues <<
Passengers arriving at Ben Gurion Airport in recent days have experienced long hours of waiting, some waiting about three hours to reach the boarding gate, including long queues for check-in, security check and other check-in processes on the way to the plane.
In talks with senior officials at the Airports Authority, they admit that there is a shortage of manpower, which is a significant factor in congestion at Ben Gurion Airport, but point an accusing finger in a surprising direction: "The Ministry of Health is significantly to blame And a half to perform corona checks for returnees, we need these areas to handle passengers in the process of leaving Israel.If they were available to us, we could have shortened the queues significantly and the pictures would have looked different.
"We are very close to the data of 2019, the peak year in terms of tourism in Israel, the year we built even if the new complex that was supposed to take care of departing passengers and today is allocated for corona tests for returnees, it was built to avoid congestion. Everyone must arrive at least 4 hours before the flight, "they conclude.
Last week it was reported in the newspaper "Israel Hayom" that many security workers at Ben Gurion Airport are warning of an impending collapse even before Passover and the highs that are expected to come with it: The airport will be seen on Passover, there is no chance that we will meet the congestion in the existing format, "R., a security worker at Ben Gurion Airport, told Israel Today.
Those who are willing to pay will be able to shorten the queues, but this possibility is also reduced.
As we published this morning in the newspaper Israel Today, there are options for shortening queues at prices ranging from $ 175 for a group of up to six passengers and up to $ 460 for passengers who want to indulge in special services in a private and separate terminal.
There are few vacancies left for these services and agents working in the industry tell of very high demand.
The Ministry of Health has not yet responded
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