Israeli Airline’s Emergency Landing Leads to Fuel Dispute with Turkish Workers

Israeli airline El Al faced a fuel dispute with local workers in Turkey after an emergency landing on Flight LY5102 from Warsaw to Tel Aviv. The incident occurred when the plane, almost three hours into its journey, landed in Antalya, as per FlightAware data.

Following the emergency landing, the aircraft proceeded to Rhodes International Airport for a brief stop before continuing to its final destination in Tel Aviv via Greece. El Al disclosed that despite being a medical case, local workers in Turkey refused to refuel the company’s plane, leading to complications.

The airline spokesperson revealed that a passenger in need of medical attention was successfully evacuated from the plane. However, the aircraft had to divert to Rhodes in Greece for refueling before heading to Israel.

Sources indicated that the plane remained stranded at the Turkish airport for approximately two hours amid the fuel dispute. However, the airline’s efforts to coordinate refueling with local workers proved unsuccessful, causing further delays.

A passenger on the flight, identified as Avner, shared with Mako that the ground crew in Turkey did not cooperate despite prior arrangements for refueling. This led to confusion and frustration among passengers on board amid the unexpected turn of events.

An unnamed Turkish diplomatic source informed The Times of Israel that initially, fuel was set to be provided to the aircraft based on humanitarian considerations. However, the captain decided to depart abruptly before the refueling process could be completed, further escalating the situation.

Last year, the Turkish city of Antalya stood out as a popular tourist destination for Israeli travelers. However, in response to recent political tensions between Israel and Turkey, all direct flights between the two countries have been canceled, impacting travel and diplomatic relations.

Relations strained following clashes between Israel and Hamas, resulting in warfare in Gaza. Subsequent legal actions at the International Court of Justice heightened the political friction between the two nations, further complicating their diplomatic ties.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan intensified his criticisms of Israel, branding the country as an «occupier and a terrorist state.» In return, Israeli officials fired back, condemning Erdoğan’s actions and accusing Turkey of aggression towards Kurdish communities.