JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's three airlines went on strike Sunday over a proposed "Open Skies" deal with the European Union that workers say jeopardizes their jobs and could even cause the local airline industry to collapse.
El Al, Arkia and Israir stopped their outbound flights from Israel early Sunday morning. The strike does not affect flights by international carriers.
A spokeswoman for El Al, Israel's national carrier, said of 22 flights planned for Sunday, 14 were brought forward before the strike began and eight were canceled. She said the strike affected hundreds of passengers. Travelers were given the option to transfer to other flights or get their money back, she said. She requested anonymity in line with company policy.
Some tourists stuck at the airport said they had alternate flights, but they were facing long delays.