Hundreds of Israeli passengers were left stuck at Aqaba Airport on Sunday after Arkia Airlines canceled multiple international departures following an unexpected policy shift by Jordanian authorities.

Arkia said the disruptions came after Jordan abruptly changed its regulations, preventing certain flights — particularly those operated using European aircraft — from receiving the necessary approvals to depart from Aqaba to destinations including Europe and Bangkok.

The sudden move caught Israeli officials off guard, prompting urgent discussions between Israeli security and aviation representatives and their Jordanian counterparts in an effort to resolve the situation quickly.

One Israeli traveler stranded at the airport described chaotic conditions in remarks to Channel 12 News: “There is no Arkia representative here, or any other Israeli personnel, and no water or food. People are sitting on the floor in complete despair, and children are crying. The original flight was to Bangkok and had already been delayed several times. Many have lost thousands of dollars on connecting flights and hotel bookings. I contacted the Foreign Ministry’s operations center, but they don’t know how to help.”

In a statement, Arkia said the cancellations were unavoidable under the new circumstances. “due to the sudden and unexpected policy change, and the absence of real-time regulatory approvals, several flights scheduled to depart from Aqaba Airport are not authorized to operate. As a result, Arkia is forced to cancel some flights from this airport until further notice.”

The airline noted that it is examining alternatives, including shifting some flights to Taba Airport, depending on logistical and regulatory conditions. “We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and emphasize that these decisions are beyond our control, coming at an especially challenging time for the aviation industry.”