An EL AL Israel Airlines flight had to divert today due to a medical emergency, and unfortunately this is proving to be problematic…
Continue reading: EL AL 737 Diverts To Türkiye, But Airport Refuses To Refuel Plane
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
So it wasn’t Antalya Airport that refused to refuel, it was authorities in Ankara?
This should be strongly condemned by all airlines flying to turkey and their airlines flying to the west. Not offering help for an airliner in need is just unacceptable
I'm would guess that this kind of decision is above airport manager's pay-grade and the instructions came directly from Ankara, or at least supported by it.
This isn't surprising, since when do Arab countries ever differentiate between civllians and the government/idf. The concept of uninvolved civilians hasn't occurred to them.
Sorry, I sent my comment because earlier Lucky said “so authorities in the Turkish capital”… before revising it
So I was wondering. Erdogan did say no more commercial transactions with Israel, so both are possible
This must be satire as the world has a awakened to Israel’s Ruthless killing campaign against Innocent Palestinians and Gaza and the Westbank
Bravo to Ankara for standing up against Genocidal Airways
At least Turkey is nice enough to allow Israeli flights to fly over their country, something that they cannot do with Iran, Iraq, Algeria, Lebanon, Syria and others. I do agree that the pilot should have continued to Israel or diverted to Greece.
So the exact same way Israel treats the people on Palestine. The concept of uninvolved civilians also hasn’t occurred to them.
Both sides are shit here.
Turkey could've at least helped out by outright refusing the landing permission upfront so there wouldn't be any choice but go to that Greek airport to begin with.
But with Antalya probably being the largest Russian airport outside of Russia, no Turk has an issue.
Yeah they really need to cut the overflight rights. There must be some sort of carrot or stick being held over the Turks to keep allowing ElAl flying over.
Yet the hypocritical Turkish government is perfectly happy to do business with the murderous Russian government.
I'm curious if they had been allowed to refuel in Turkey, how that would have worked since the passengers weren't allowed off the plane. I might be mistaken but I was under the impression planes cannot be refueled with passengers on them
Jeez, I saw that same plane land this morning at WAW while in transit between LOT flights myself!
Too bad they couldn’t treat it like the Air India diversion of an India => USA flight & simply prioritise aviation safety first.
Once on an Qantas A380 (when they were brand new) and we diverted to Hawaii for medical emergency. A380 had never landed there - and they did not have a large hose to refuel - so took a couple of hours to review. But we remained on the jet the whole time. But to the dismay of some passengers (I was in First) - ground staff decided to tour aircraft. As far as I know you can add fuel with passengers on the jet.
As a member of the EU, this is unacceptable of the Turkish government. It should be immediately condemned and forbidden by Brussels and the rest of the European Union, if Turkey wants to remain a member. Politics should play no role in aviation or passenger safety.
Repugnant reply. Ben, what happened to your new moderation rules? Remove this vile, ignorant rant.
I’m surprised El Al chose Antalya over Rhodes (where I am currently visiting) or Cyprus. There is good medical care in both places, and Rhodes in particular is very friendly to Israelis (whose investors control a lot on the island). Also, the Rhodes airport can handle just about anything (including a 747, to the extent they’re still flying).
Just a gentle reminder of who does the Turkish society side with. Think about it the next time you see a cheap TK fare..
I love Istanbul and the local food but it's immoral to finance their regime.
Planes are routinely refueled with pax on board (after all, otherwise you'd need everyone to deplane during all stopovers). Passengers are simply told to unfasten their seatbelts
That one would break some treaties as someone was in danger. El AL could land in IRan due to medical diversion and the passengers would be safe due to treaties. However putting that aside. I feel for the passenger who is in a turkish hospital where there is hostility towards Israelis. I really feel for her. Quick Recovery.
Not trying to sink your gravy boat .... You may be thinking of NATO. Turkiye has been a member since 1952. Turkiye has always marched to their own drumstick.
Most major global airlines use one medical consultation company that makes an assessment of the passenger’s condition and decides on how quickly the passenger needs to be on the ground. That decision is almost always followed from a liability perspective. Antalya must have been a few minutes closer and had either equal to or greater hospital access than other options.
In fairness, Turkey did the right thing by accepting the unscheduled landing and getting the passenger medical care. At least politics only came in after that.
If an Aeroflot or Cubana flight from Moscow to Havana needs to make a medical landing in the US, how easy would the process be of allowing it to refuel under current government regulations?
Trump will bring out the welcome wagon for Aeroflot while expropriating and selling the Cubana plane.
Nope. In 2021 they changed the name to Türkiye, which is actually also its founding name.
@Samo…yup! I’ve boarded aircraft while it was still being refueled, and as you say, just not allowed to buckle up until it’s complete..
Immediately after the last Turkish earthquake Israel was the first nation responding with emergency search and rescue crews. Speaks volumes. N
Immediately after the last Turkish earthquake Israel was the first nation responding with emergency search and rescue crews. Speaks volumes.
Antalya is the fastest-growing city in Turkey, and tourists from around the world are discovering its fabulous mix of great beaches and traditional Turkish culture.
So, how did you come by information that it is probably the largest Russian airport outside of
Fortunately, Turkey is not a member of EU. They applied for membership many times, but should not be admitted. Middle East is not a part of Europe. Big difference in culture and mentality as well.
Major news outlets are not mentioning that the Captain of this EL AL flight decided to depart on his own accord without fulfilling the refueling procedure.
What was wrong with Rhodes in the first place? Would Turkey treat the patient correctly (if the patient is Jewish)? Sorry to say, but in today's world, political situations can and do override a critical situation with someone ill on board.
Germany is still full of turkish born/turkish descent citizens, they seem to think they have a strong connection and relationship with Germany. Turkey were smart to join NATO, it'd be stupid to pretend Turkey is not holding the stake right now, they really know how to play the EU.
I don't think the EU is going distant from Turkey anytime soon. I've met very rude and entitled turkish people in Europe, and personnel at IST is very rude to certain nationalities, israelis included. This is just a sign of the times and the predominant attitude towards israelis and jews all over the world. This is not surprising.
“It's Turkey by the way.”
Sure Jan.
Just like Thailand is Siam, and Sri Lanka is Ceylon.
Anyone surprised by Türkiye‘s decisions? They and their dictatorial president openly support terrorism.
They are the second largest army in NATO, (usually) provide a critical base for NATO and U.S. operations in the region, and the alternative is the let Russia in. Keep them in NATO.
There need to be consequences for this. International aviation relies on rules for everyone's safety, and when one country openly spits on those rules for political purposes they're putting people at risk. F**k Erdogan.
A country blocking essential food supplies, not willing give a morsel of food to poor Palestinians and dropping bombs on innocent civilians..
They should be thankful to Turkiye govt that allowed them to land and let them continue to another destination for refuelling..
Unfortunately I have no sympathy for Israeli govt and people supporting Zionist terrorists
Don't dehumanize the Turks. That kind of rhetoric is unhelpful. It's just Erdogan and his regime that are animals.
If Turkey is not going to allow El Al flights to be serviced in their country they need to issue a Notam and let everyone know that. Also, after working a lot of enroute medical emergencies in my career, I can tell you that the majority turn out to be not that critical and the few that are usually result in the passenger’s death, regardless of how quickly the flight diverts. Saving a few minutes of flight time rarely makes a difference in the outcome of the medical event.
Generally yes. However, it all depends on local regulations, regulations of the body in authority over the aircraft, airline procedures, etc. There are some airlines that can't fuel without a pilot or a mechanic on board. Some have, even in the US, had times (even within last few years) where they could not fuel with passengers on the aircraft. Some require flight attendants at evacuation stations. Most require a door open and seat belt sign off (some don't). In the US, it has various nuances depending on the fueling manual of the operating carrier and what their FAA POI has approved.
A Cubana flight diverting to the US would be no problem. They're good for the bill. Besides the fact many of their international flights are operated by contracted ACMIs, Cuba makes a ton of money off of ATC overflight fees from US carriers. There's enough money in play at any time that most US carriers would probably handle it and settle up.
Not surprising considering that Hamas head Ismail Haniyeh and former chief Khaled Meshal are now staying in Turkey. Hamas has established a command post in Turkey. which it uses to recruit operatives and oversee operations in the Middle East. Easy to see where Turkey's political loyalties are.
i find that hard to believe since Hawaiian airports have served 747s for decades
How are the Gulf carriers in this regard? My understanding is that they stay out of the fray but wanted to hear takes given their similar structure of government ownership
I despise Israel and everything that government stands for. But I think it’s foolish for airport staff not to refuel a plane.
Turkey has no business being in NATO. It's a mirage. As if they would send troops should Russia attack, say, Estonia. Erdogan would claim some exemption or reason that they need to adhere to "diplomacy." Turkish diplomacy being to wink wink have Saudis chop a journalist up into parts.
Sure, they will turn to Russia. Fine. Two half-bit states with a lot of bluster can own each other. But trust me, they will come running back in no time when they realize what they chose over the west and NATO.
I just hope that these politicians stop playing games at the cost of human lives. I am just getting sick of hearing all of these news these days. I wanna live in a peaceful world, it is not that hard if some people didn't have the greed, ego and reckless ambition...
Truckloads of aid enter Gaza daily. More aid is required, but your claim is demonstrably false.
The only terrorists are Hamas, who hide amongst the innocent civilian population and are responsible for putting them in harm's way
Most of the world isn't siding with you just so you know. Looks like from now on you're limited to travel within the United States, Canada, and Western Europe.
None of that aid is coming from Israel. Even the kids with cancer that were recently evacuated from Gaza were taken to Egypt because Israel wouldn’t allow them in for medical treatment.
FYI — and sorry but it sorta shows your level of understanding of the whole situation— but Turkiye is not an Arab country at all.
Nobody needs them to ‘side’ with Israel. Don’t live in any of the above places and am very much in tune with the views of where I am. I would hope any airline and airport is going to help other people regardless of political differences. Same idea as Air India’s US-bound diversion to Russia — they did not agree politically but did the right thing to help people
Turkey forgot that Israel was helping after earthquake. I never understood why Israel so eager to help the enemies.
Never expect that from TR. Well, if they want to play the game like this..bring it on.
At least I can say I never been allured to fly TK. Often in life you need to have a back bone..it is called integrity. Cheap tickets beautiful service etc.but if they know who you are they rather kick you off the plane and put you in jail.
That is why think twice before buying any products from countties who do not regard you as human being.
Therefore please say España, Italia, Deutschland, it’s Brasil not with a z, Nihon not Japan, Misr ( Egypt) and so forth. And please call Bangkok by its proper name - Krung Thep Makha Nakhon. So it’s still Turkey, a country which isn’t in Europe as many would love to believe it is.
Do you call Russia the proper Rossiya? Probably not because in English is Russia, Do you call Germany Deutschland? No you call it Germany…..just as Türkiye is Turkey in English.
It is time the normal secular Turks stand against conservative Turks and show the world they are part of the Western society who we can rely on. Pick your side!
That is the crucial point. NATO needs air bases in the region such in Turkey inorder to have a better reach around Southern Russia, Ukraine, the Middle East and support to Israel.
It is sad that TR becomes more and more unreliable through Erdogan nowadays..I think the White House and the Pentagon must look on this matter very seriously.
If I have understand rightly the captain decided,after 3 hours of waiting for approval, to fly to Rhodes around 155 miles away from Antalya.
There the plane can be properly refuelled and continue its journey.
Very bad attitude of the Turkish Gov. and authorities.
Do not worry we have Cubsns and Russian in the states! We know how to welcome them properly! Just let them land safely first....
Do not get me wrong I have friends with Turkish ancestry but are Americans through and through. They despise what Erdogan has done with Turkey. So it is better to help the secular and western Turks!
Sorry boy! Wishful thinking. The way Erdogan steer his country..it will never dock in Brussels any time soon. Now this situation only makes it more vividly that TR is steering away from the western society.
..because they are a lot of Russian tourists, if not by far the largest, having their holiday in and around Antalya!
Oh they need more than luck..especially this recent event..the turkish EU application papers are filed in to the folder..shredder..
You right Ken. It is terrible place at the moment..by the way you still have some space free..in your place in Idaho..thinking of building a cabin in the wilderness away in a peaceful environment..away from these First Class junkies, with their Champagnes and Caviars..and pyjamas and suite doors. Just a simple quite place..
without Karens&Kevins..
It is not the foolishness of any airport staff..it is the policies of Erdogan.
..just to remind you..who started the massacre and kidnapping on the 07.10.2023. All these actions happening now are because of those Hamas and Palestinian militants.
If they just have thought for a while in not doing what they planned it will be a different outcome today. Especially now we know that the majority of Gaza support the Hamas and its politics, they have signed their fates.
I understand your anger but we do not level up to their inferior attitudes. We take the high road and stand above their accusations.
The Turks are both Europeans and Asians failing to acknowledge that makes you an ignorant.
But it is sure it was a very poor judgement not to refuel the aircraft confirming all theTurkish prejudices against the Israelis at the moment.
On that note even met a TK FA a couple years back who said they hated what Erdogan has done to Turkey. Amazing person as well — some genuinely great secular Turks even there
Obviously you know nothing of NATO. Turkey has the largest military in Europe to protect Europeans, but not in the EU. You ask them to protect you but they can't live next to you. Sounds like the USA of old where Black Americans fought and died for the country but still discriminated against. Your ignorance and racism show. Maybe you want it to show.
I don't think you want to go to Idaho. The homeplace of white supremacy in America, but then again, that's where you may want to be.
And yet in 1995 when a Kish Air (an Iranian airline) jet was hijacked by an Iranian it was allowed to land in Israel after being refused landing by Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
The Israelis arrested the hijacker, fed and medically checked the Iranian pax (including Iranian military officers!!!), refueled the plane and let them all fly off again in 24 hours...
Turkey could have made a bigger statement by doing EVERYTHING possible to assist the Israel jet on its way. Now it looks diminished instead of righteous.
And they did. In the last mayoral election, Erdogan has lost the majority. He lost all of the big cities. If there's a general election tomorrow, he'd lose the presidency as well.
So let me understand. We're more concerned about a refueling and an inconvenience while other people are being bombed, killed and starved to death?
This is strange because according to Google Maps , a direct flight Antalya to Rhodes takes 7hrs 15 mins , Antalya to Tel Aviv 7hrs 10 mins and Antalya to Larnaca only 5hrs 35 mins , but that flight path maynot be approved due to Cyprus/Turkey relations and occupation
""A country blocking essential food supplies, not willing give a morsel of food to poor Palestinians and dropping bombs on innocent civilians.."" - Sounds like WW2 and what Germany and Japan endured....
Good thing the "elected" government of Gaza didn't support an attack on Israel and take human hostages back for ransom......Good thing the population of Gaza didn't support the construction of tunnels and military installations in schools and hospitals....Good thing that Palestinian children aren't indoctrinated from birth to hate the Jews....
Oh wait.... ah.....People in Gaza can't claim they are innocent bystanders, that's what the Germans tried in WW2, when they said they had no idea that 6 million people disappeared and had no idea what was happening in those "factories"
Israel was attacked and will destroy Hamas and the collaborators, once and for all.
I was once in 2018 on a TK flight 🙂 from Buenos Aires to Istanbul via Sao Paulo and passengers stayed on board but AC was off.
Well you're obviously not a very experienced traveller, as there are no direct flight between those city pairs and Google Maps is showing flights from Google Flights with a connection included.
Maybe all those good Israeli people need is a refresher in international law or a reminder that those laws they’re sh******* on were written because what happend to them some 80-ish years ago?
@elduke, do you have a source for your claim that is anything other than the Hamas controlled Gazan Health Ministry? Or are you just trying to incite?
Nobody cares abiut Turkish troops. Turkiye does host US-provided nuclear weapons, which is more useful to NATO.
Turkiye should have seized the plane. There is precedent. The West has seized several Russian assets including aircraft citing one excuse after another.
One small El Al plane would not be worth the trouble for Turkiye.
Think. About. It.
And don't give up your day job. People like you should be kept far away from government advisory roles, otherwise we'd be plunged into world war.
Elduke what is your problem???? you are very confused!! Shame on TK for not helping other people when in the past they have been helped by many countries including Israel
Who wants to join this sinking ship ruled by almost totalitarian, unelected officials? Once Le Pen and the AfD get into power, it will be a European jumbo mumbo. So, no thanks, keep the EU and enjoy the free fall...:-)
The only problem with Brussels ejecting Turkey from the European Union is that Turket is NOT a member of said organisation. Slight flaw in your argument!
Dumbest comment I’ve seen in a long time. Doesn’t see the difference between Russia invading Ukraine and Israel responding after Hamas attack. Has no rationale for Turkey committing a hostile act against Israel. Yikes!
At least they don't support the terrorist Israeli regime and terrorist Netanyahu
Everyone sayin there should be consequences for Turkey, however no one condemns Israel over what they are doing?! Western hypocrisy at its best. I'm glad Turkey stood their ground for refueling, played by the law as much as possible allowing them to land in a medical emergency and treat the patient.
You need to look at history and learn more, this is not Israel responding to Hamas attacks, Israel has been the main aggressor since the 1940s! Case in point-look at what is currently happening in the West Bank, where there is NO HAMAS. They still treat Palestinians as second class citizens, steam their land, and harass woman and children. So please get your facts right on that point, Israel is not responding the attacks, on the contrary, they have always been the main aggressor!
he is talking facts, are you denying the fact that Israel has been targeting civilians, including woman and children purposely and pretty much committing genocide? I think you're the one who needs to look at facts Joe
Well, the United Nations, WHO and Human Rights watch all consider their numbers to be accurate as per their own independent analysis. So yes, Israel has and continues to commit horrendous crimes that is considered a genocide
yeah every credible human rights organization and international political body, including the U.S. State Department, acknowledges those numbers as accurate. Do you have a source that refutes that? The perpetually lying IDF?
my problem is I don't condone genocide and people and their governments have an obligation to humanity to do everything in their power to stop it. What's your problem?
If these ppl. support Hamas..than they are not better than the terrorists themselves.
The citizens of “Republic of Türkiye” need to get rid of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan or change the name back to Turkey and have a turkey on their flag!!! Loren Jim Atwood of California I am an American Disabled Veteran belonging to the American Baptist Church.