Arkia cancels dozens of flights from Aqaba due to ‘immediate Jordanian policy change’; hundreds stranded

Israeli airline Arkia says it has had to cancel dozens of flights that were planned to be operated from Aqaba to Europe and Bangkok due to an “immediate change in the policy of the Jordanian authorities,” leaving hundreds of passengers stranded ahead of the Passover holiday.

Arkia says Jordanian authorities refused to approve some of the flights, which the airline operates by chartering European aircraft.

Arkia had announced on Friday that its long-haul flights, including to New York and Hanoi, would take off from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport instead of Jordan’s Aqaba Airport starting today.

“Jordanian authorities are not approving the operation of some flights to destinations in Europe and Bangkok,” says Arkia. “Following the immediate and unexpected change in policy, and in the absence of real-time regulatory approvals, a number of flights scheduled to depart from Aqaba airport are not approved for operation.”

“As a result, Arkia is forced to cancel some flights from this airport until further notice,” the airline says.

Arkia says some of the flights scheduled to depart from Aqaba will be rerouted to depart from the Taba airport in Egypt, depending on operational possibilities and the required approvals.

In recent days, the airline has been transferring some of its outgoing flights from Israel to airports in Aqaba and Egypt’s Taba as an alternative to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport due to current airspace restrictions amid the war.

Both airports are located near Israel’s land border crossings with Egypt and Jordan, where thousands of Israelis are seen gathering in long queues in the days leading up to the Passover holiday starting Wednesday evening.

“Arkia is working with the relevant authorities in an attempt to resume operations as soon as possible, and will update its passengers regularly regarding the status of flights,” the airline says.

הרשויות בעמאן הודיעו ל'ארקיע' לא להפעיל טיסות ליעדים ארוכי טווח עם מטוסים של חברות אירופאיות. מאות ישראלים תקועים בנמל התעופה בעקבה בעק' ביטול הטיסות המיידי של הירדנים. (פישר) pic.twitter.com/4Ej4r9R8ou

— זירת החדשות (@ZiratNews) March 29, 2026