Restrictions on flights leaving Israel reinstated

Following a hit on private planes at Ben Gurion Airport, the Transport Ministry has canceled plans to increase passenger quotas.

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.

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

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