Arkia Airlines has sharply criticized newly imposed government limits on air travel, arguing that the restrictions amount to a de facto shutdown of Israeli airspace and make normal flight operations nearly impossible.

Under updated directives from the Ministry of Transport, departures from Ben Gurion Airport are now capped at 50 passengers per flight, with takeoffs limited to just one per hour. In response, Arkia said it would proceed with its scheduled flights for now, including its direct service to New York departing at 13:15, but stressed that routine aviation activity cannot continue under these constraints.

In an effort to continue serving travelers, the airline announced plans to relocate the bulk of its operations to nearby airports in Aqaba and Taba. From those locations, Arkia intends to run full-capacity flights to destinations such as New York, Bangkok, and Hanoi. Meanwhile, only a limited number of flights will continue from Ben Gurion Airport, primarily to Larnaca and Athens, and largely for humanitarian needs.

Arkia also made clear that it will not attempt to prioritize certain ticket holders over others, stating that choosing between passengers who have already purchased seats is both impractical and contrary to the company’s principles.

{Matzav.com}