Israeli carrier Arkia Airlines has announced a change of policy by the Jordanian authorities, which harms the alternative activity to Ben Gurion Airport that the company has begun operating through Aqaba airport.
The Jordanian authorities have not approved the operation of the flights using European aircraft that Arkia leases. This means that dozens of flights planned by Arkia to depart from Aqaba have been canceled, leaving thousands of Israeli passengers stranded in Jordan.
The background to this is a Jordanian demand that the flights be operated by local airlines, and not by foreign operators. Thus, Jordan seeks to route air activity through a charter company called Jordan Aviation, thereby also benefiting from the associated revenue produced by the high demand for flights from the region.
This is a private Jordanian airline that operates mainly in a charter and wet lease (ACMI) model, in which it provides aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance to other airlines, travel agencies and government bodies.
In the meantime, Arkia is making operational adjustments: by transferring some of the activity nearby to the airport in Taba.
At the same time, conditions on the Egyptian side are also becoming more expensive: The Egyptian border fee at the Taba crossing has been doubled to $120 per person, compared with $60 previously - the second increase since the start of the war.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on March 29, 2026.
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