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Arkia Delays Direct Flights to Tokyo After Japan Denies Approval for Leased Aircraft
Arkia Airlines has canceled its planned direct flights to Tokyo, Japan, which were scheduled to begin in late October 2026. The decision follows a refusal by Japanese authorities to approve the route's operation using a wet-leased aircraft, a practice where an airline rents a foreign plane along with its crew. Arkia had already begun selling tickets for the twice-weekly service.
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What happened
- 01Arkia Airlines canceled its planned direct flights to Tokyo due to regulatory issues with Japanese authorities.
- 02Japanese officials refused to approve the route's operation using a wet-leased aircraft and crew.
- 03The cancellations affect four scheduled flights on October 25 and 28, and November 1 and 5, 2026.
- 04Arkia is offering affected passengers transit via Bangkok or Hanoi, a different destination with a 10% discount, or a full refund.
- 05The airline is continuing to seek regulatory approval to operate the Tokyo route using its own aircraft.
- 06El Al remains the sole airline operating direct flights between Israel and Japan, while Israir is also seeking approvals.
The cancellations specifically affect four flights scheduled for October 25 and 28, and November 1 and 5, 2026. Passengers booked on later dates do not need to make changes for now. To assist affected travelers, Arkia is offering three options: a flight to Tokyo via an intermediate stop in Bangkok or Hanoi, a change to any other Arkia destination with a 10% discount, or a full refund.
Arkia is continuing its efforts to secure the necessary permits from Japanese officials to operate the route using its own aircraft. Currently, El Al remains the sole Israeli carrier operating direct flights to Tokyo, while Israir has also begun the process of seeking approvals for the route. Arkia recently canceled a planned service to Saigon, Vietnam, and has announced plans to launch a route to Manila, the Philippines, in January 2027.
Summarized by baba from the reports of 8 newsrooms. Updated
Latest report: Bizportal. Read Bizportal’s original
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