Insurance Crisis Halts Minsk Route: ‘Arkia’ Demands Immediate Compensation from the State Similar to Moscow Flights
The CEO of the airline ‘Arkia’, Oz Berlovich, has sent an urgent request to government offices demanding the implementation of insurance compensation policy for flights to Belarus, similar to the current policy for flights to Moscow. According to him, the cancellation of insurance coverage by European insurers for flights to Belarus cripples the possibility of reactivating the route, despite the company’s full readiness.
Suspension of the Minsk Route Due to Regulatory, Not Commercial, Reasons
In December, ‘Arkia’ announced the resumption of the direct Tel Aviv-Minsk route, a destination of historical and cultural significance for many in Israel, especially among former Soviet Union immigrants and the Jewish community in Belarus. However, due to the cancellation of insurance coverage by European reinsurers, the company was forced to suspend the route’s operation – despite all operational preparations already being completed.
Berlovich emphasizes that this is solely a regulatory obstacle:
“When the State of Israel provides insurance compensation for flights to Moscow, there is no reason not to apply the same policy to flights to Belarus. It is a clear public interest.”
Insurance Compensation Like Moscow is a Call for Uniform Policy
According to the request, ‘Arkia’ has already approached the Ministries of Finance and Foreign Affairs demanding the arrangement of insurance compensation according to the Moscow model, but no official response has yet been received. Meanwhile, the company notes that the state has allowed the resumption of Belarusian airline ‘Belavia’ flights to Israel, which apparently enjoy appropriate insurance coverage, while an Israeli airline remains without a parallel solution.
This situation creates a significant regulatory gap, which does not stem from competitive or economic feasibility considerations, but from the lack of uniform state policy application between similar routes.
Belarus – A Strategic Destination for the Jewish Community
‘Arkia’ notes that Belarus is one of the central countries in the former Soviet Union, with many Jewish communities scattered throughout. The Minsk route is intended to serve thousands of passengers visiting the community, Jewish heritage sites, rabbinical graves, and more, especially at a time when transportation links to Eastern Europe are limited.
In its statement, the company concludes:
“The lack of a government decision prevents the renewal of operations and disrupts air continuity to a strategic destination. We call on the government to act without delay.”
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