On a recent Sunday, an El Al flight traveling from Warsaw to Tel Aviv faced unexpected turbulence when it made an emergency landing in Antalya, Turkey. The reason: a passenger onboard required urgent medical attention.

Despite the urgency of the situation, Turkish airport workers at Antalya Airport refused to refuel flight LY5102, citing a trade ban imposed by Ankara on Israel since May, exacerbated by tensions over the conflict in Gaza.

This refusal occurred despite El Al’s statement emphasizing the medical nature of the emergency. The passenger in distress was evacuated promptly after consultation with onboard medical personnel.

El Al expressed disappointment in a statement, pointing out that the decision to land urgently was made to ensure the passenger received necessary medical care as quickly as possible. However, due to the trade-related restrictions linked to the Gaza conflict, obtaining fuel for the aircraft became a bureaucratic challenge.

Turkish diplomatic sources clarified that efforts were underway to secure an exemption to provide the necessary jet fuel, but before this could be finalized, the El Al pilot chose to depart without refueling.

Following the incident, the aircraft proceeded to the Greek island of Rhodes to refuel, highlighting the logistical hurdles faced in such situations when diplomatic tensions, particularly over Gaza, impact humanitarian operations. This incident underscores the broader implications of strained relations between Ankara and Israel, particularly in practical scenarios involving international air travel and emergency response.

Meanwhile, recent economic data revealed a drastic decline in Turkish exports to Israel since the imposition of the trade ban, signaling the far-reaching consequences of geopolitical disputes on bilateral relations and operational logistics in the aviation sector amidst ongoing concerns over Gaza.