Arkia Faces Class-Action Lawsuit Over Canceled Direct Flights to Japan
Arkia Israeli Airlines faces a class-action lawsuit over canceled direct flights to Japan after selling tickets without obtaining prior regulatory approval from Japanese authorities.
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Arkia Israeli Airlines after the carrier canceled its direct route to Japan, leaving thousands of passengers stranded with invalid tickets.
Lawsuit Claims and Passenger Allegations
According to reports, the class-action motion was submitted to the Central District Court. The central claim states that Arkia Israeli Airlines sold tickets to the public for direct flights to Japan while the route still lacked official approval from Japanese authorities.
Plaintiffs argued that thousands of Israelis purchased tickets, booked hotels, and requested vacation days without being informed that regulatory approval was pending. "Arkia concealed the fact that the new route had no approval whatsoever, and while rushing to sell tickets, they were still dealing with Japanese authorities," the petition stated. Ultimately, the required permits were not granted, forcing passengers to cancel their travel plans.
Timing of Cancellations and Company Response
Another core allegation focuses on the timing of the cancellation notices. The lawsuit claims the airline deliberately waited until the absolute deadline to notify customers, avoiding statutory compensation under the Aviation Services Law.
The respondents waited until the very last moment to inform their customers, and the only reason they bothered to notify them was because the statutory deadline arrived, avoiding thousands of shekels in compensation per passenger.
In response, Arkia Israeli Airlines rejected all allegations. The carrier stated that the lawsuit has not yet been formally served, but emphasized that it strongly rejects the claims, operates according to required regulations, and still hopes to launch flights to Japan in the near future.
