On Saturday, 28 March 2026, Jordan authorities unexpectedly announced a policy change regarding certain flights carried out by European aircraft. As a result, all flights operated in the country by Israeli airline Arkia have been cancelled or relocated.
On Sunday, 22 March 2026, the Israeli Transportation Ministry ordered a reduction of traffic at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv following a security assessment. While only one incoming flight and one outgoing flight per hour are allowed at the airport, Israeli carrier Arkia decided to relocate part of its operations to Aqaba (Jordan) and Taba (Egypt).
“Under the current framework, it is not possible to maintain regular aviation operations, and in practice it amounts to the closure of Israel’s skies. The company cannot be required to choose between passengers who have already purchased tickets, and therefore we are preparing to shift most of our operations to Aqaba and Taba airports, in order to maintain aviation continuity as much as possible,” Arkia CEO Oz Berlowitz said at the time.
However, all Arkia flights departing from Aqaba came to a standstill when the Jordan authorities introduced a policy change on Saturday, 28 March 2026. As Jordan is refusing approval for certain flights operated with European aircraft to operate within the country, Arkia flights scheduled at Aqaba were either cancelled or relocated to Taba in Egypt.
💥 BREAKING: Arkia relocates operations abroad, effectively closing Israel’s skies under current restrictions.
— Mossad Commentary (@MOSSADil) March 23, 2026
Following limits at Ben Gurion Airport—50 passengers per flight—the airline will shift the bulk of its flights, including routes to New York, Bangkok, and Hanoi, to… pic.twitter.com/P8r2blAYsm
“Following the immediate and unexpected policy change, and in the absence of real-time regulatory approvals, flights scheduled to depart from Aqaba Airport are not authorized to operate. As a result, Arkia is forced to cancel flights from this airport until further notice. Arkia is working with the relevant authorities in an attempt to resume operations as soon as possible and will continue to update its passengers regularly regarding flight statuses,” Arkia said in a statement.
For example, the FL1217 flight from Aqaba to Athens on Sunday, 29 March was transferred to Taba Airport, with buses and Arkia representatives accompanying travellers to the airport. Arkia flights FL1728 from Aqaba to Budapest and FL1337 from Aqaba to Rome, however, were cancelled.
While the Israeli security and aviation sectors are communicating with the Jordan authorities on the matter at the time of writing, Arkia has published an updated flight schedule valid until 11 April 2026. Most flights departing from or arriving at Aqaba have been cancelled or relocated.
