Arkia Delays Tokyo Direct Route Following Japanese Regulatory Rejection

Israeli airline Arkia announced a significant delay in launching its highly anticipated direct route to Tokyo following a refusal by Japanese authorities to approve operations via wet lease. Despite months of efforts, Japanese regulators currently prohibit the use of leased aircraft on the route, a method Arkia employs for several other international destinations.

Impact on Early Flights and Alternative Solutions

Consequently, the initial flights scheduled to Japan on October 25 and 28, as well as November 1 and 5, 2026, cannot operate in their original format. However, the airline emphasizes that this update affects only passengers who booked tickets for these specific dates, while those with later bookings do not need to make any changes at this stage.

Arkia is continuing talks with authorities in Japan to secure permits for operating the route using its own independent fleet, hoping to receive a green light in the coming weeks.

Options Offered to Affected Passengers

To minimize consumer disruption, Arkia is offering three alternatives to passengers on the canceled flights:

• Connecting flight to Tokyo: Flying with Arkia to Bangkok or Hanoi, followed by a connecting flight to Tokyo, with the entire itinerary managed and fully backed by Arkia.

• Alternative destination: Changing the ticket to any other Arkia destination with a 10% discount on the new fare.

• Full refund: Canceling the reservation and receiving a full monetary refund.

The company does not give up on operating the direct route to Tokyo and continues to work with all relevant parties to enable its operation as soon as possible, Arkia's press service stated.

The airline added that it sincerely apologizes to passengers for the uncertainty and inconvenience caused, recognizing the high anticipation for travel to Japan and doing its utmost to provide every passenger with a proper solution.