Arkia Faces Lawsuit Over Passenger Stranded in Greece

An Israeli passenger is suing Arkia Airlines in the District Court, claiming direct damages of NIS 17,959 after being stranded in Greece with his family during Operation Iron Swords. The customer filed an application for leave to appeal on Sunday, following the rejection of his claim for a refund by the Small Claims Court.

The incident began in June 2025 when the return flight for the family of 11 was canceled due to the closure of the airspace. Arkia subsequently operated special "rescue flights" but refused to recognize them as "alternative flights" that passengers were entitled to without additional payment. To return to Israel, the customer was required to purchase new tickets for NIS 23,295.

While Arkia refunded the cost of the original, significantly cheaper tickets and covered accommodation expenses due to a further delay to June 20, the customer is demanding the difference. The Small Claims Court in Kfar Saba had previously dismissed the claim, accepting Arkia's argument that rescue flights operating under government directives and security restrictions, including a claimed passenger limit of 50, did not constitute a "commercial alternative flight" as defined by law.

The customer's appeal argues for consumer fairness, stating that Arkia, the airline that canceled the original flight, found them seats on its own planes but conditioned their boarding on a costly repurchase. He disputes the 50-passenger limit and emphasizes that his grievance is not with the cancellation itself during an emergency, but with Arkia's decision to impose heavy costs on him once it was capable of flying them.

This case echoes previous legal battles over compensation for the failure to provide alternative flights. In October 2025, Spanish airline Vueling was ordered to pay over NIS 21,000 to three young Israelis who were removed from a flight and forced to wait over eight hours at Ben Gurion Airport without an alternative flight, due to the actions of other passengers.