Restrictions on flights leaving Israel reinstated

Only on Tuesday, the Ministry of Transport authorized an increase in the quota of passengers on flights departing from Israel, but the direct hit on three private aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport has changed the picture.

On flights to the US, after several flights took off fully occupied, it has now been decided to cut the number of passengers allowed per flight by half to 150. For flights to Europe there is no change, and the maximum number of passengers per flight remains at the 120 figure set on Tuesday (up from 100). On Tuesday evening the Ministry of Transport considered raising the quota further to 170, but that is now off the agenda. On flights eastward the quota also remains at 120.

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The quotas apply to outgoing flights because one of the main considerations is the length of time that an aircraft stays on the ground, when it is most vulnerable. Security checks for departing passengers are time-consuming, and so departing aircraft remain on the ground longer and are at greater risk. In the case of incoming flights the disembarkation process can be completed fairly quickly, and so the restrictions mainly apply to flights leaving Israel.

As reported earlier, foreign airlines cannot land at Ben Gurion Airport at present due to a Israel Civil Aviation Authority NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) that restricts activity in Israel’s airspace. There are also instructions from international regulators, including the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), against flying in the region. Israeli airlines are also continuing to cancel scheduled flights and are now operating only rescue flights.

Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on March 19, 2026.

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