TEL AVIV- An El Al Israel Airlines (LY) flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Tel Aviv (TLV) was delayed after “Free Palestine” stickers were discovered on 140 checked suitcases. The incident affected Flight LY-6 shortly before departure on February 16.
The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner was scheduled to depart at 2 pm for the 13-hour journey. After passengers boarded, security teams halted loading operations when the marked baggage was identified as it was about to enter the cargo hold.
Photo: By Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia – El Al, 4X-EDA, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73574363
EL AL Flight Delayed at LAX
Flight LY-6 had completed boarding when ground staff identified dozens of checked bags bearing “Free Palestine” stickers. The stickers were found as the luggage was preparing to be loaded into the aircraft’s hold.
Passengers were initially told that a baggage issue was causing the delay. As frustration grew inside the cabin, the Captain used the public address system to explain the situation directly.
According to passenger accounts shared with Israeli news outlet Ynet, the Captain confirmed that 140 checked bags had been flagged due to the stickers.
El Al enforces strict security standards at every international destination. The airline declined to transport the affected luggage until each suitcase underwent a full hand search for explosives or prohibited items.
Security officers began inspections immediately. When it became clear the process would significantly extend the delay, operational control decided to dispatch the aircraft without the 140 bags while screening continued on the ground.
Reported by PYOK, the delay lasted nearly two hours before the flight departed for Tel Aviv.
Photo: EL AL Israel Airlines
Shin Bet Oversight and Enhanced Aviation Security
El Al’s overseas security framework operates under the authority of Israel’s Shin Bet security service. Shin Bet conducts destination-specific risk assessments and determines mandatory safeguards based on threat intelligence.
At many airports, plainclothes security officers monitor departure halls and conduct passenger interviews before check-in.
Selected travelers may face secondary questioning, private baggage searches, and electronic device inspections. These measures extend beyond standard requirements imposed by the Transportation Security Administration in the United States.
Shin Bet may also request host countries to implement protections not typically granted to other airlines. These measures can include reinforced or bulletproof check-in counters and police escorts for Israeli aircraft from the gate to the runway.
LAS Baggage Claim, McCarran International Airport; Photo- Michael Kappel | Flickr
Baggage Handling Control and Access Risks
Once checked luggage leaves the airline counter, it enters the airport’s baggage handling system. Operational control at this stage rests primarily with airport authorities and contracted ground handlers rather than the airline.
It remains feasible that an airport ground worker or authorized personnel accessed a transit area where the suitcases were staged before loading.
Such access could allow placement of external materials on baggage without passenger knowledge.
Even without a confirmed threat, El Al’s policy requires comprehensive inspection under such circumstances.
Photo: By Pieter van Marion from Netherlands – 4X-EAC EL AL Israel Airlines, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29586439
International Cooperation and Diplomatic Friction
Most host nations accept El Al’s elevated security demands due to the airline’s unique risk profile. Authorities often coordinate closely with Shin Bet to accommodate additional screening layers and protective arrangements.
However, disagreements have occurred. In 2022, officials at Dubai International Airport (DXB) disputed Shin Bet’s request to station plainclothes Israeli security officers inside the airport.
Local authorities argued that such deployment interfered with national sovereignty. Flights to Abu Dhabi did not encounter similar resistance.
Both sides ultimately reached an agreement, although the final security arrangements were not publicly disclosed.
The episode demonstrated the diplomatic sensitivity surrounding international aviation security operations.
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