Wizz Air and Ryanair Temporarily Halt Aqaba Flights Amid Security Concerns

In response to heightened security concerns, both Wizz Air and Ryanair have decided to suspend their flights to Aqaba, Jordan. The Hungarian low-cost carrier, Wizz Air, has rerouted some of its flights to Amman Queen Alia, while Ryanair announced a complete suspension of all flights to Aqaba from November 11, 2023, through January 4, 2024. Ryanair cited “operational restrictions beyond its control” as the reason for the suspension.

Wizz Air, according to Flightradar24 ADS-B data, canceled its services to Aqaba from Warsaw Chopin between November 13 and 17, attributing the decision to “security-related reasons.” The airline flew its November 21 rotation to Amman, with further flights to Aqaba remaining canceled. Additionally, Wizz Air removed its planned services from Katowice, originally set to launch in mid-December 2023, from its internet booking engine. Meanwhile, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, which initially connected Aqaba with Abu Dhabi International, began flying to Amman on November 19.

Despite the absence of current operational or safety NOTAM affecting the airlines’ ability to fly to Aqaba, the proximity of the Jordanian airport to the Israeli border (just two kilometers) and its location around 200 kilometers from the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli military is engaged in conflict with Hamas, may have contributed to the decision.

It’s noteworthy that Turkish Airlines and Royal Jordanian are continuing their services to Aqaba, maintaining operations amid the temporary suspensions by Wizz Air and Ryanair.