Arkia Cancels Planned Flights to Tokyo Amid Regulatory Hurdles
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
Arkia Airlines has canceled its planned direct flights to Tokyo due to regulatory issues with Japanese authorities concerning its operational model. The airline will not launch the route as planned, affecting passengers with existing bookings for October and November 2026. El Al currently operates flights to Japan, while Israir is also seeking approval for its own route. Arkia continues to pursue permits for its own aircraft operations.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Arkia Airlines has canceled its planned direct route to Tokyo, Japan.
- The airline cited regulatory hurdles from Japanese authorities regarding its operational model.
- Passengers with existing bookings for October and November 2026 will be affected.
- El Al is currently the only Israeli airline flying to Japan.
- Israir is also attempting to secure approvals for its own route to Tokyo.
Arkia Airlines has announced it will not launch its planned direct route to Tokyo, Japan, after months of attempting to secure the necessary operating permits. The company cited difficulties with Japanese authorities regarding its proposed operational model, which involved a wet-leased aircraft and crew. Arkia stated that Japanese regulators are currently not permitting flights under this arrangement, leading to the decision to abandon the route for now.
Despite this setback, Arkia is continuing its efforts to obtain approval for operating flights to Japan using its own aircraft. However, the airline has opted not to proceed with the route at this time.
Currently, El Al is the sole Israeli airline operating flights to Japan. Israir is also in the process of seeking approvals to establish its own service to Tokyo.
The cancellation impacts passengers who had already booked flights with Arkia to Tokyo for dates in late October and early November 2026. These passengers are awaiting updates from the airline regarding their bookings and potential alternative arrangements.
For Israelis interested in traveling to Japan, the addition of Arkia's service will not materialize as planned. Future expansion of flight options to Japan now depends on Israir's progress in obtaining its permits and Arkia's success in securing approvals for its own aircraft operations.
