Israel’s Shutdown of International Airport Averted

Travelers in and out of Israel’s primary international gateway found business-as-usual rather than the shutdown that was threatened for Tuesday by the nation’s massive labor federation. At issue was a new “Open-Skies” policy with the European Union that will allow unlimited competition to the nation’s three flag-carriers from airlines that fly the flag of an EU member-state. A strike by the trio of airlines on Sunday had little effect on anyone but their own inconvenienced passengers, but when the Histadrut Labor Federation declared a sympathy strike by airport workers that would close Ben Gurion International Airport, talks with the government began in earnest. By late Monday night, the finance ministry had agreed with El Al, the largest of the three, to absorb most of the security costs it incurs as away of leveling the economic playing field. The conflict highlights the argument within the tourism industry of whether it is better that the national carriers fly with healthy seat-filled ratios or a much greater number of passengers come to Israel where, presumably, more money will be spent with more of it trickling down to other sectors. The Israeli carriers also warned that their unusual position of being available for extraordinary use in national emergencies and special situations renders them non-expendable on a national-security basis.