Arkia Israeli Airlines

✅ Trip Verified | The flight got delayed over 2 hours. The gate was changed 3 times without clear updates. The flight attendants took rudeness and careless to a whole new level. Unfortunately I have my return flight scheduled with them. I have sent them a huge complaint, and a refund request. I prefer to fly any other airline with layovers to get to my destination than setting a foot again on an Arkia flight.

✅ Trip Verified | Didn’t make clear that our tickets did not incl baggage but ok we will take responsibility for that one but then the flight was delayed. The flight coming back was outrageous and this is what the review is for. They charged us for baggage on the way out, but had no record on the systems upon coming back so we had to pay a second time. How can any company or airline company charge somebody an additional charge for baggage and not have any indication or even a note on their system? With two small children just for the sake of fees we paid yet again and now are currently standing at an airport waiting for the flight. The flight was scheduled for 4 PM, but then was delayed to 430 and we were messaged on the day, suggesting that another very low cost airline will be flying as back. After progressing through security and passport control, we then find out that the flight has been further delayed to almost 6PM. Expecting yet more delays as we are standing now at a gate with a completely different airline now boarding. I am besides myself and I will never travel with Arkia again.

Not Verified | The change our flight twice same day, extremely unreliable and very poor costumer services. Good luck if you are traveling with kids and seniors they will be miserable!

✅ Trip Verified | Terrible airline. Unreliable. Changed our flights and shortened our trip. Did it in the last minute. No service. No one to talk to. Extremely expensive. You pay a lot for really less than nothing. Should be closed. Be aware and stay away from Arkia.

Not Verified | Made the mistake of choosing Arkia to fly to Paris for an extended weekend. Flight itself wasn't bad - they even gave some cheap promotion gifts to mention that they will be flying the Israeli Olympic team to the games. But - the first flight was postponed by 2 hours, and again by another 2.5 hours, and the return flight was also similarly postponed. Get your act together! Otherwise the Olympic team will arrive only for the closing ceremonies.

✅ Trip Verified | The worst airline I have seen. First they don’t respect their customers, they only see money in front of them if you have 1 extra kg you will pay for it. They don’t smile. This is the 3rd time I’m flying with them and every time the flight is delayed minimum 2 hours. Do not fly with them even though they give cheap prices. You will end up paying extra and waiting for a very long time.

✅ Trip Verified | What a horrible experience, booked a flight to Rome from Tel Aviv. apparently this was a charter flight operated by SmartWings. Flight was originally scheduled at 7:25 AM, a few days after ordering the ticket we got an SMS saying it is delayed to 11:00AM. a few days further another SMS and another delay to 14:00 PM. we were at the airport with our 1.5 years old baby, at 11:00AM , 3 hours prior to our flight and not to our surprise, another delay, first to 16:00PM, eventually we took off at 18:00PM (from originally 7:25AM flight). when talking to people on the plane, this is a well known tactic of Arkia airline. Early online check-in was not possible due to site crashing. Ground staff was so rude when i asked to sit with my wife and kid, telling me i should have checked online. They didn't care at all when i tried to explain i couldn't since their website is as basic as it gets. We arrived in Rome at 10:00PM, losing a whole day (including a payed night up north) and needed to pay the extra night in Rome too. This is by no doubt the worst ever flying experience i have ever had.

✅ Trip Verified | We were late arriving to SSH, and only an hour and half late departing SSH on our flight back to TLV, but that seems normal for Arkia. Buying a ticket was easy on their website, but in no place did I notice that this was a charter flight. The expensive ticket price was not charter air fare price. A few days after baying the ticket received notice departure from SSH was changed three hours later making us miss the last train for the night. Arkia can only be reached via WhatsApp the problem is they never bother to answer no matter how many times or how many days we try to reach them. After paying for the tickets Arkia total disconnect us we were on our own unable to change our tickets . Arkia's own luggage regulation means nothing the Arkia rude ground crew do as the please. Our carry on were sent to to luggage hold in the plane but other passengers seemed to be excluded and carried on the plane two carry on and personal hand bags. In the carryon bin above our seats were other seats carry on luggage. I asked the crew why we were forced to give up our carry on while other did not, I just got a dirty look and walked away. First and last time for me on Arkia. Even free would never fly with Arkia.

✅ Trip Verified | Flight was delayed by 2 hours, the airline did not attempt to contact and notify on the delay (aircraft hasn't left the origin country on time, so it was known to the airline at least 8 hours in advance). Upon arrival at the airport, we saw the flight was delayed, so sat for a cup of coffee. We came to check in 3 hours prior to take off (updated time), to discover our premium economy (bought and paid for) seats were given to other passengers. The ground crew was incredibly rude about it.

✅ Trip Verified | Bucharest to Tel Aviv. If you’re not Israeli don’t ever fly with this company! They have a separate security area in the airport and they are searching only the passengers who are not Israeli. I’m flying 17 years to Israel, I’m married with an Israeli citizen and I have never had such an unpleasant experience as with this airline They don’t have check in online And when I finished with the security and I finally arrived on the plane (who was 2,30 hours late) I was seating in the place that I had paid for (30$). The plane ticket costed me 182€. Before takeoff the stewards came to me and they asked if I agree to move from my seat because they have an old man in wheelchair. I asked them why they don’t place the man on place 1D who was free (and also on aisle). The answer was: those chairs are for the crew. So, they placed the man and his wife next to me, uncomfortable for them and for me. I’m attaching a photo with the places 1D, 1E and 1F which were free during the whole flight. The announcements made by the pilot during the flight were ONLY in Hebrew I would never recommend this airline