ISRAEL: Travellers face severe delays at Israel's Ben Gurion airport as ground staff walk out on indefinite strike

Record ID: 340096

  • Title: ISRAEL: Travellers face severe delays at Israel's Ben Gurion airport as ground staff walk out on indefinite strike
  • Date: 14th September 2010
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF PASSENGERS WALKING OUT OF ARRIVAL GATE WITH EMPTY LUGGAGE TROLLEYS
  • Embargoed: 29th September 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: Industry,Employment
  • Reuters ID: LVA8FLN0ZSTXB2D89HW51GEPIW5D
  • Story Text: Ground staff began an indefinite strike at Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion airport on Monday (September 13), initially halting all outgoing flights, an airport spokeswoman said.
    The stoppage by Israel Airports Authority workers in support of pension demands occurred during one of the busiest holiday periods of the year in Israel, she said.
    Flights already en route to Ben-Gurion, Israel's main international airport, were being allowed to land but all ground services such as offloading baggage were suspended.
    "There are no suitcases. There are more than 7,000 people there waiting for their suitcases and don't know what to do," said passenger Noam Saban after arriving from Ukraine.
    Avi Ebenstein, a new immigrant from Canada said: "Everything is an argument in this country, it's got to have a little more organisational structure, I don't think it's a good impression to leave tourists with, when they show up off the plane and their baggage does not show up."
    The Transport Ministry, Finance Ministry, airport officials and the union are in talks over the workers' pension demands.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Footage contains identifiable children: users must ensure that they comply with local laws and regulations governing the publishing of this material.
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