Arkia’s direct Tokyo flights face delays over Japanese approval
Japan has yet to authorize the Israeli airline to operate the route using a wet-leased aircraft. Arkia is also seeking permission to fly using its own aircraft and is offering affected passengers rebooking options or a full refund.
Arkia is facing delays in launching its direct route to Tokyo because Japanese authorities have yet to approve the use of a “wet-leased” aircraft. Under this arrangement, an airline leases an aircraft together with its crew and typically its maintenance and insurance arrangements, allowing it to expand its flight operations without deploying its own plane and staff.
The company said it has been working for months to secure the necessary permits. It is also seeking approval to operate the route using its own aircraft, with hopes of receiving authorization in the coming weeks.
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An Arkia plane and the Shibuya district in Tokyo
(Eran Granot, Yuichi Yamazaki / AFP)
For now, the update affects only passengers booked on flights scheduled for October 25 and 28 and November 1 and 5, 2026. According to Arkia, passengers with bookings for later dates do not need to make any changes at this stage.
Arkia is offering affected passengers three alternatives: travel to Tokyo via Bangkok or Hanoi, with the airline coordinating the entire itinerary; rebook to any of its other destinations at a 10% discount on the new ticket price; or cancel the booking and receive a full refund.
The delay highlights the regulatory challenges airlines can face when launching long-haul routes using wet-leased aircraft and crews, even when an aircraft is available and a commercial flight schedule has been planned.
Arkia has not announced that the route has been canceled and says it continues to work with the relevant authorities to launch the service as soon as possible. Passengers who booked directly with the airline can contact its dedicated email address for assistance.
