Al-ShamsSecurity14:40

Israeli Airline Arkia Halts Ticket Sales to Marrakech on Security Orders

Translated & summarized from Al-Shams by baba

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Arabic · 4 newsrooms covering

Israeli airline Arkia has suspended ticket sales for flights to Marrakech, Morocco, due to unspecified security concerns requested by Israeli authorities. The airline is in talks to resolve the issue and is considering alternatives for existing bookings and future operations. This follows a similar move by Israir and comes after a security incident on a Flydubai flight in September, prompting a review of aviation security protocols.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

Arkia has stopped selling tickets for flights to Marrakech, Morocco, based on Israeli security requests.
The airline is discussing the security concerns and the fate of existing bookings with authorities.
Israir previously suspended ticket sales to Marrakech on October 13 due to security directive clarifications.
The security reviews were prompted by an attack on a Flydubai pilot in September.
Arkia resumed direct Tel Aviv-Marrakech flights in August 2026 after a three-year pause.

Israeli Airline Arkia Halts Ticket Sales to Marrakech on Security Orders — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Israeli airline Arkia announced on Wednesday that it has stopped selling tickets for flights to Marrakech, Morocco, until further notice, following a request from Israeli security authorities. The airline did not disclose the specific security concerns that led to this decision.

Arkia is currently in discussions with relevant authorities and security bodies to explore the possibility of continuing the route and to determine the implications for already-sold tickets. No final decision has been made regarding existing bookings. The company is considering alternatives, such as operating flights through partner airlines, should Israeli authorities decide to halt Israeli carriers' flights to Marrakech.

This move by Arkia comes after Israir suspended ticket sales to Marrakech on October 13, also halting plans to increase flight frequency pending clarification of new security directives. These actions were prompted by an incident on September 30 aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. During the flight, a co-pilot attacked the captain in the cockpit, forcing an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Crew members and passengers managed to subdue the attacker.

The incident triggered a review of aviation security arrangements, particularly for flights utilizing leased aircraft and crews from foreign companies, raising questions about security measures for such operations.

Arkia had resumed direct flights between Tel Aviv and Marrakech on August 24, 2026, operating twice weekly, after a nearly three-year hiatus since October 2023. This resumption was part of a gradual re-establishment of direct air links between Israel and Morocco following the normalization of relations in December 2020. Israeli airlines had been seeking to increase flights and travel options to Morocco.

Israir had planned to increase its Marrakech flights in November, and Sun D'Or, a subsidiary of El Al, announced plans to launch direct flights to the city starting November 16. These plans may now be affected by the new security instructions. It remains unclear whether the decision will only affect new ticket sales or also lead to the cancellation of existing flights, and the fate of current bookings is yet to be announced.