[Report From El Al’s New Bag Drop Line] Bag Drop Arrives At Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport, Have You Tried It Yet?

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Update, 6/4: El Al is now allowing the use of self check-in/bag drop lines at Ben Gurion. DDF member tavster went to check them out and reports that they have their own pre-checkin security line, which is as fast, or even faster than the airline’s business class line!

If you try it out, let us know how it goes!

Update, 3/28: As of today, business and first class passengers flying internationally from TLV’s Terminal 3 can use the VIP pre-checkin security line located on the ground level near door 1, without any additional charge.

Since COVID, expedited pre-checkin security lines have only been available to El Al business class passengers or for passengers paying for VIP service. El Al business class passengers can continue using the premium line found near El Al checkin.

If you use the new VIP line or the bag drop, share your experience in the comments!

HT: chff

Originally posted on 3/26:

Flying out of Natbag, or Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, is always a chore.

After returning your rental car (and probably getting dinged for scratches that you hope your credit card insurance will cover) there are seemingly endless lengthy lines to wait in. Those include security before checkin, to checkin, to dropping off oversized bags (which include regular duffel bags that aren’t oversized in any other airport in the world), to customs (heaven help if you have a stroller and can’t use the automated gates or if you lost your entry visa slips), to security, and more. And don’t forget multiple VAT lines if you bought anything that comes with a tax refund. It all takes a good amount of time and patience.

But with Natbag expecting record passenger numbers over the coming days before Pesach, a new self checkin option with bag drop is being introduced if you’re flying on Air Canada, Austrian, Cathay Pacific, Delta, Lufthansa, Swiss, or United. You’ll find the new self checkin kiosks on the 3rd floor of Terminal 3 at area B. You’ll still have to wait in some lines, but the airport says it will save passengers significant time over the regular lines.

Have you tried out the bag drop service yet at Natbag? If you use it over the coming days, share your experience in the comments!

HT: tavster, via DDF

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49 Comments On "[Report From El Al’s New Bag Drop Line] Bag Drop Arrives At Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport, Have You Tried It Yet?"

All opinions expressed below are user generated and the opinions aren’t provided, reviewed or endorsed by any advertiser or DansDeals.

netlevy

Is virgin same line as delta if booked with Delta?

Brach

No, because it’s virgin

united

Hearing the whole country may go on strike tomorrow including the airport!!! Just in time for Y”T.

https://twitter.com/AmichaiStein1?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Ari

Not Elal?

rbs g1.5

all outgoing flights stopped

Perturbed

Why don’t the other airlines have it as well?

Liz

Does this help in anyway with the hour plus security line?

can

Finaly way over due
also el-al allows Israeli citizens to drop off in the 24 hours in the airport or in Tel Aviv
but where is el-al self check-in??

Canadian

Anyone remember back in the 80s when you could drop your luggage the day before travel somewhere (where?) in Yerushalayim? Could be long lines there too, esp when all the bochrim and sem girls were leaving. But at least you weren’t worried about missing your flight. When did that end?

I remember too

Rechov Hillel
It was very convenient

DealGuru

in Givat shaul i beleive it was

SloMo

Bottom entrance to Center-1. Wow, it was a great relief to know you were essentially done. Also had a similar service in Brooklyn for a while!

Canadian

Yes that’s right – in a mall. When did the program run? And nothing like suddenly remembering as you left, that something super important was in your now-checked suitcase lol.

Tiger

In Brooklyn it was on 13th Avenue near 59th Street

Sarah

Assuming bibi doesn’t destroy the country first.

Salman

Destroy?
How?

Jake

Jewish infighting always ends well for the Jew haters.

Phil DDF

Someone who reads the leftist propaganda without looking a bit deeper, unfortunately. As far as I am aware, There are no English Israeli publications that give the alternative viewpoint.

1991

Jp?

Dana

Big question is can you do the bag drop with a duffle bag!?

sfried

iv had plenty of times that they took my duffel bags, i guess it has to do with the agents mood,

Manny

In general at natbag, there is a separate security line for people flying without bags, and that are already checked in. Seems likely that people who use this bag drop will then go to the shorter, separate security line. (I’ve been on that line many times. Most of the time it’s a short wait, as short as a minute or two, 10-15 minutes on average, but as much as 30 minutes+ at the worst of times. Hopefully the airport keeps at least 2 agents there at all times if they are sending more people to that line.)

Nathan

What war on duffel bags? We’ve flown countless times from natbag, always with duffels, and have never had a problem putting them through at the check in counter.

lover of truth

only biometric passports eligible
not sure how well this works with baby

Idan Ploni

What’s the difference between N. Korea and the Histradrut?
Ans: Nothing

Salman

But why does it always seem that the leftists always win?

Geulah times!

I’m just praying Natbag is busier with inbound flights than outbound ones shortly. It’s high time the Rebbe’s prophecies and predictions came true. “Just one suitcase” and we’ll all be free!

Moshe

there is a new business/first security line from today, for all foreign airlines, but not ElAl

Eve

Does this include Virgin Atlantic? And what about premium economy

Kibbutz Galuyot

Feels like I’m the only one left that wants Mashiach now.

R

I don’t understand this post….Non El-Al had business class check in lines during COVID as well. Flew Delta / United / American — all with business class lines

USA

How do you pay for vip?

Canadian

It’s a service – AeroVIP

Moishe

It’s ridiculous that ELAL “Premium economy” customers who pay thousands of dollars for aflight from USA to Israel are.being forced at Ben Gurion airport to wait in the main hall for 1 to 2 hours for security and to check in their luggage. Since we are paying thousands of dollars for a premium economy seat, the least ELAL can do is to either have a separate line for premium economy or allow the premium economy customers to use the business class line for security and luggage checkin. There were many, many premium economy ELAL customers that were extremely disappointed and angry that ELAL did not allow them to go through security and luggage.check-in at the business.class counters after having paid thousands of dollars for a premium economy seat.

sfried

Flew this week monday tlv-ewr with united didn’t see any bag drop,
side note they checked in my duffel bags, maybe because I checked in by business class i did see a rep from economy class not accepting duffel bags, maybe it just depends on the rep

Berry

Doesn’t really help much. No place to drop luggage but the counter so you still have to wait in the security line and drop off luggage at counter. Also if you have status the kiosks don’t give you the orange premier tag so if you think it actually helps getting your luggage sooner the kiosks don’t help.

Harold

Yes we did and was actually great they escorted us thru to another line helped at the kiosk also overall great saved a lot of time since there was a large line

Dave

Still not clear to me. Flying United business this week TLV to SFO with bags. What is easiest/quickest check in process?
Thank you!

Tavster

There is a dedicated security lane on ground floor (arrival level)

FFUnited

Has anyone used the security/checkin on the ground floor for United in May or June? What is the process?

Vip

Is the business line open x tlv?

Vip

@Dan how can I find out?
Was definitely closed in February when I was there….

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