Arkia forced to shift flights to Aqaba and Taba due to restrictions at Ben Gurion Airport
Airlines are scaling back and rerouting international operations after Israel imposed strict limits on outbound passengers at Ben Gurion Airport, with Arkia moving most long-haul routes
Strict limits on departing passengers at Ben Gurion Airport are forcing major changes across Israel’s aviation sector, with airlines cutting back services and shifting operations abroad.
After the Transport Ministry imposed a cap of 50 passengers per flight, Arkia said it would relocate most of its international activity to the nearby airports of Aqaba and Taba, arguing the restriction effectively shuts down normal air traffic from Israel.
The airline is now preparing a significant operational overhaul. While some routes from Tel Aviv are still running — including a New York connection — long-haul flights to destinations such as Bangkok and Hanoi are expected to depart mainly from Aqaba, with a revised schedule to be announced.
Arkia said it will keep a small number of flights operating out of Tel Aviv, primarily to Larnaca and Athens, focusing on essential and humanitarian travel. However, it warned the passenger cap makes it impossible to manage demand or existing bookings, calling the situation unworkable.
CEO Oz Berlovitz said the airline cannot sustain regular operations under the current conditions, though efforts are underway to maintain a basic level of service.
El Al, meanwhile, said it is assessing the impact of the restrictions and working on a scaled-down flight plan to preserve vital connectivity between Israel and international destinations.