Thousands Stranded as Arkia Cancels Jordan Shift

Israeli airline Arkia said Friday that its long-haul flights to New York, Bangkok, and Hanoi will depart from Ben Gurion Airport starting Sunday, reversing an earlier plan to operate them from Jordan and Egypt.

The change comes as wartime restrictions imposed by the Transportation Ministry limit outbound flights from Israel to just 50 passengers per plane. The move is expected to lead to the cancellation of thousands of tickets ahead of the Passover holiday.

Earlier in the week, Arkia had announced it would shift most outbound operations to Aqaba in Jordan and Taba in Egypt, where restrictions are less severe. The reversal means long-haul routes will now operate from Israel, while shorter flights to destinations including Italy, Greece, France, and Austria will continue to depart from neighboring countries.

The airline said the decision was also influenced by a sudden policy shift by Jordanian authorities that prevents the use of certain European aircraft, forcing Arkia to suspend part of its operations from Aqaba. As a result, multiple flights to Europe and Bangkok have been canceled until further notice.

Some services are being rerouted through Egypt’s Taba Airport. Flight 591 to Bangkok, currently in Jordan, will operate via a revised itinerary, with passengers first flying on two Jordan Aviation segments to Larnaca before continuing onward to Bangkok on connecting flights.

Passengers scheduled on the Aqaba to Athens route will instead depart from Taba.

Under current Israeli regulations, flights leaving the country are capped at 50 passengers, while inbound flights can operate at full capacity. The restrictions were introduced after debris from an intercepted Iranian missile damaged aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport earlier this month.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev has requested that Arkia add additional return flights from Bangkok to Tel Aviv during the Passover period, with those flights expected to operate at full capacity.

Arkia CEO Oz Berlovitz said the airline is working to increase flight frequency and accommodate demand during the holiday period, while acknowledging the disruption caused by the policy shift.

“I would like to apologize personally to the thousands of customers who were forced to change or cancel their flights,” Berlovitz said in a statement, adding that the changes were beyond the airline’s control and that efforts are ongoing to restore normal operations.

Israel’s airspace has been largely restricted since the start of the war with Iran on February 28, when Israel and the United States launched coordinated strikes. Limited operations resumed earlier this month, primarily to bring back Israelis stranded abroad.

Passenger limits and reduced flight frequency remain in place as authorities continue to manage security risks and maintain control over air traffic during the ongoing conflict.