Flight cancellations leave hundreds of Israelis stranded in Jordan

Jordan abruptly changes airline policy days before the beginning of the Passover festival, leaving hundreds of Israeli travelers stranded.

By World Israel News Staff

Hundreds of Israeli travelers are stranded in Jordan after the Hashemite Kingdom abruptly changed air travel policies, which led to the cancellation of dozens of flights.

On Sunday, the Israeli airline Arkia announced that it was forced to cancel a number of flights operating out of King Hussein International Airport in the southern port city of Aqaba, following policy changes by Jordanian air authorities.

The cancellations come just days before the start of the Passover festival, as thousands of Israelis seek alternative routes to travel abroad amid tight wartime air travel restrictions inside Israel.

Since the beginning of the war on February 28, Israelis seeking to travel abroad have relied on airports in Taba, Egypt, and Aqaba, Jordan, both of which are located close to the southern Israeli city of Eilat.

However, a dramatic increase in border crossing fees at Taba, which doubled over the weekend from $60 per person to $120, has discouraged many travelers, while incentivizing travel through Aqaba.

But policy changes in Jordan have led local air authorities to refuse approval for dozens of chartered flights booked by Arkia with European aircraft.

The disruption hit routes from Aqaba to several destinations in Europe as well as Thailand.

According to the airline, some passengers were left stuck at the airport after flights that had been expected to operate were halted at short notice.

One stranded traveler told Israeli media there were no Arkia or Israeli representatives on site, and that passengers, including children, were waiting in distress without clear assistance.

Arkia said some Aqaba departures may now be rerouted through Taba, subject to operational feasibility and regulatory approval. The airline also said it is working with relevant authorities to restore service as quickly as possible and promised passengers regular updates.

At the same time, the airline has revised broader parts of its schedule. Long-haul flights to destinations including New York and Hanoi are now set to depart from Ben Gurion Airport rather than Aqaba, reversing an earlier plan announced this week. Shorter-haul routes to some European destinations are still expected to rely in part on neighboring airports.