IAA Chair Seeks to Fire Airport Union Chief After Two-Hour Wildcat Strike Caused Ben Gurion Chaos

IAA chair Yiftah Ron-Tal is seeking to fire Airport Workers Union chief Pinchas Idan after a two-hour wildcat strike halted Ben Gurion Airport on August 20, 2026, disrupting some 107,000 passengers.

Original report
www.timesofisrael.com

Industry impact

The clash shows how a single labor dispute at a major hub can cascade into widespread flight disruption when ground-handling staffing becomes a bargaining flashpoint.

What happened

Israel Airports Authority chair Yiftah Ron-Tal is seeking to dismiss Airport Workers Union chief Pinchas Idan following a two-hour wildcat strike at Ben Gurion International Airport on Thursday, August 20, 2026. The stoppage occurred on what was projected to be the busiest travel day of 2026, with some 107,000 passengers scheduled across more than 600 flights, and caused extensive delays and flight cancellations after check-in counters and baggage handling stations were left unmanned. The shutdown has been estimated to cost NIS 25-30 million ($8.3-10 million).

Ron-Tal is attempting to convene the IAA board to oust Idan and is seeking legal advice on the matter. Idan, 70, is also facing expulsion from the Likud party: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday he had submitted an official request to remove Idan from the party. Idan's term as union chief, originally set to end in May 2026, was extended amid pressure from senior Likud politicians tied to his membership on the Likud Central Committee.

Idan has denied calling any strike, attributing the disruption to staffing shortages and management decisions. He filed an appeal with Israel's Labor Court on Saturday night, alleging that the IAA had been breaching employees' rights, including by routinely requiring baggage handlers to work 12-hour shifts six days a week. Idan said the baggage handlers were exhausted on Thursday and that he gave those who had already worked nine hours permission to end their scheduled shifts rather than continue into overtime. Airport management under Ron-Tal and airport CEO Sharon Kedmi then directed all airport staff, including check-in personnel, to stop work, since operations became unworkable after approximately 12 to 20 baggage handlers went home. Airport management holds Idan responsible, arguing that heavy late-summer workloads, routine shift extensions, and overtime pay are standard practice, and says Idan failed to appear for a meeting with Kedmi scheduled for Thursday morning to discuss the high passenger volumes. The IAA also planned to fire a senior administrative aide to Idan who was under a Civil Service Commission inquiry for allegedly clocking in at the airport for over a decade without actually working, and said numerous relatives of Idan were employed at the airport without working.

Who this affects

• Commercial Airports — A staffing dispute halted check-in and baggage handling across more than 600 flights on a peak travel day.
• Ground Handling Agents — Baggage handling staff shortages triggered a broader shutdown of ground operations during a peak travel day.
• Aviation Associations — A leadership fight between airport management and union officials shows how governance disputes can disrupt terminal operations.