Arkia Cancels Ho Chi Minh City Route, Maintains Hanoi Flights

Israeli airline Arkia has altered its flight plans for the Far East for the upcoming season, specifically adjusting its operations in Vietnam. The company announced it has decided to cancel its new route to Ho Chi Minh City, which was scheduled to launch in October. Arkia cited a lack of demand as the reason for the cancellation, noting the route had not yet commenced operations.

Despite the Ho Chi Minh City cancellation, Arkia's flights to Hanoi, Vietnam's capital, will continue as planned and remain part of the airline's network. This means travelers can still reach Vietnam directly with Arkia, but only via Hanoi, not the originally planned Ho Chi Minh City. The airline is consolidating its efforts to focus on a single destination within Vietnam rather than operating two routes simultaneously, while continuing to assess its broader Far East operations based on market demand.

This change by Arkia occurs amidst recent volatility in Far East flight routes. Notably, El Al had also planned to begin flights to Hanoi in October but canceled its route following a directive from the Shin Bet security agency. While El Al operates as an Israeli airline, Arkia utilizes a chartered flight for its Hanoi service, which allows it to continue operating the route despite potential security concerns that may have affected El Al.

Currently, Arkia operates the sole direct flight from Israel to Hanoi. This direct option remains available for Israelis seeking to travel to Vietnam without layovers or plane changes. In addition to its Vietnam operations, Arkia recently launched a new destination in the Philippines, catering to travelers looking for vacation experiences similar to popular destinations like Thailand. The situation with the Ho Chi Minh City route highlights the dynamic nature of flight planning, with routes sometimes being dropped before their inaugural flights, while others, like Hanoi, continue to operate.