Is an Arkia flight delay covered by EU261 in both directions?
Arkia flight delay compensation pays €250 to €600 per passenger under EU261 when the flight departed an EU or EEA airport and arrived three or more hours late, or Arkia cancelled it with under fourteen days' notice. A departure from Tel Aviv falls outside EU261, because Arkia holds no EU licence. Israel's Aviation Services Law takes over there.
Arkia is an Israeli airline running domestic routes and international services from Tel Aviv, and like every Israeli carrier it holds no EU operating licence. Your rights therefore depend on which way you were flying.
- Departing an EU or EEA airport — EU261 applies in full.
- Departing Tel Aviv — EU261 does not reach the flight, because the airport is outside the EU and Arkia is not an EU carrier.
- Departing the UK — UK261 applies, in sterling.
This catches people on return trips. The outbound flight from Athens or Larnaca is covered; the flight home from Tel Aviv is not, under European law at least.
What a delayed flight pays
Amounts are per passenger, not per booking. A delay of 3–4 hours over 3,500 km may be reduced by half under Article 7(2).
Where does Israeli law take over from EU261 on Arkia flights?
Israel's Aviation Services Law applies to flights departing Israel or landing there, whoever operates them. It gives assistance from two hours of delay and money from eight hours or on a cancellation, so the Tel Aviv departure that falls outside EU261 usually still has a claim behind it.
Two systems, one journey. It is worth checking both rather than assuming a refusal under one closes the matter. The Aviation Services Law guide covers the Israeli side.
How much is an Arkia claim worth under EU261?
Under EU261 the distance flown sets the sum:
| Route distance | Compensation per passenger |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km, where most Tel Aviv–Europe routes land | €400 |
| Beyond 3,500 km | €600 |
Everyone on the booking is owed separately. The trigger is a three-hour arrival delay at your final destination, a cancellation announced with under fourteen days' notice, or denied boarding.
What should you collect before leaving the airport after an Arkia delay?
Get the cause in writing while someone is still at the desk, keep every boarding pass, and note the actual arrival time rather than the scheduled one. Which law applies is decided by the flight's record, and the record is easiest to establish on the day.
How do you claim Arkia flight delay compensation?
Start with the flight itself. Our free flight check reads the recorded departure and arrival times for your Arkia flight and tells you which band it falls in, in about two minutes.
A Arkia compensation claim turns on the arrival time and on the reason the airline gives, so read both before you write. The flight delay compensation guide sets out the bands, and the cancellation compensation guide covers Arkia cancellation compensation for a flight that never operated. If the airline refuses, the case law summary sets out what the courts have accepted as an excuse and what they have thrown out.
Check what you're owed
What you need to claim
- Your flight number and date
- The airports you flew between
- Roughly how late you arrived
- Your booking reference, if you still have it
No boarding pass? We can usually work from the flight number and date alone.