Weary travelers trickled into Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport arrivals hall this week, their expressions bleak and their voices hushed. Many wore masks as they hurried to the exits and home for a 14-day self-quarantine, in line with Health Ministry guidelines.
A lone couple holding a shimmering, heart-shaped balloon stood nearby, waiting for a loved one to make it past customs. Normally bustling with activity and boisterous family reunions, the arrivals hall was all but empty as the flight status board announced cancellation after cancellation.
In the departures hall, the sense of desolation was even more pronounced: Check-in desks stood abandoned, and no lines were to be seen.
Most airline workers had been sent home on unpaid leave, like thousands of other workers across Israel who were laid off as businesses went into crisis mode in light of unprecedented measures intended to combat the spread of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.
