Ben-Gurion Airport experiences baggage system failure, causing passenger delays

A technical malfunction at Ben-Gurion Airport's Terminal 3 on Wednesday morning paralyzed its automated baggage sorting system, resulting in a substantial accumulation of suitcases at check-in counters and considerable delays for departing passengers. The Israel Airports Authority (IAA) confirmed that the failure prevented luggage from being efficiently transferred to aircraft holds.

In response to the disruption, ground staff were compelled to limit new check-ins and resort to manual baggage handling procedures. Despite the system outage, flight operations at Ben-Gurion continued, with adjustments made to loading processes to ensure departures could proceed. The IAA activated contingency plans, prioritizing flights scheduled for imminent departure to manage the backlog. Authorities have not yet provided a timeline for the full restoration of the automated system.

The IAA clarified that this technical failure was not connected to Storm Byron, which has been impacting regional air traffic. Terminal 3 is currently undergoing a modernization project aimed at enhancing passenger flow and traffic management, following several periods of strain on its baggage handling infrastructure earlier this year. The IAA expressed regret for the inconvenience and urged passengers to exercise patience during this period.