Arkia Flight From Montenegro Canceled, Passengers Stranded in Albania After Border Delay

On August 23, approximately 50 Israeli passengers faced a complicated journey home after their Arkia flight from Montenegro to Israel was canceled. The flight, originally scheduled for 8:00 PM and later delayed to 10:00 PM, was ultimately canceled due to operational disruptions. Passengers were bused to a nearby airport in Albania, but an unexpected delay at the border caused one bus, carrying some passengers, to arrive after the plane had already departed for Israel.

Dvir Bar Noy, a passenger left behind, recounted that after waiting at the Montenegro airport with about 300 people and receiving no clear information, they were instructed around 11:30 PM to collect their belongings and board buses to Albania. Bar Noy described a confrontation at the border where a female passenger argued with a local border officer, resulting in a two-and-a-half-hour delay for their bus. After a three-hour drive, they reached the Albanian airport only to find the plane had already taken off without them.

Arkia explained that the flight was diverted to Albania as it could not land in Montenegro. The delay occurred because some passengers did not cooperate with local border control officials, though the company did not provide further details. Arkia stated that waiting longer for the delayed bus would have caused the flight crew to exceed their permitted working hours, preventing the plane from taking off at all. A company representative was present to assist the stranded passengers, who were accommodated in nearby hotels. Later, Arkia arranged a special flight to return the left-behind passengers to Israel.

This incident highlights the challenges faced by travelers when flights are canceled and rerouted, compounded by border control issues and strict aviation regulations on crew duty hours.