El Al Airlines Faces Refusal to Refuel Plane in Emergency Landing Incident in Turkey

El Al Airlines, Israel‘s national carrier, encountered an unexpected ordeal when local airport personnel in Antalya, Turkey, reportedly refused to refuel one of its planes following an emergency landing on Sunday.

Flight LY5102, which was en route from Warsaw to Tel Aviv, made an abrupt landing in Antalya nearly three hours into its journey, as indicated by data from FlightAware.

Subsequently, the aircraft diverted to Rhodes International Airport where it paused for about an hour before continuing its travel to its final destination in Israel.

An El Al spokesperson confirmed that local Turkish workers declined to refuel the company’s aircraft, despite the situation being a medical emergency that warranted swift assistance.

The airline representative mentioned that a passenger in need of urgent medical attention was properly evacuated from the aircraft. El Al informed Business Insider that following the refusal in Turkey, the plane proceeded to Rhodes in Greece where it was refueled before completing its journey to Israel.

Reports suggest that the plane remained grounded on the tarmac at the Turkish airport for approximately two hours as the situation unfolded.

An individual identified only as Avner, a passenger onboard the flight, recounted that the passengers were initially informed that the local airport crew would handle the refueling process, but experienced obstacles due to uncooperative ground personnel.

According to an unnamed Turkish diplomatic source cited in The Times of Israel, there were discussions on providing fuel to the plane based on humanitarian grounds. Nevertheless, just as the procedures were reaching resolution, the captain opted to leave independently.

Antalya, a popular holiday destination for Israeli travelers in past years, has seen a decline in direct flights from Israel following the recent escalation of conflicts in the region involving Hamas, Gaza, and legal disputes at the International Court of Justice.

The strained relations led to the cessation of direct flights between Israel and Turkey, causing disruptions in travel plans for many passengers. Furthermore, Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan has intensified his public criticism against Israel, denouncing its actions vehemently.

Repercussions from the geopolitical tensions between the two nations have been felt not only in aviation but also in diplomatic standoffs and international relations.