On a recent flight from Warsaw to Tel Aviv, a jet owned by El Al, the Israeli airline, was forced to make an emergency landing in Antalya, Turkey due to a medical incident involving one of its passengers. After consulting with a doctor on board, it was determined that the passenger needed urgent medical attention in a hospital.
Unfortunately for the passengers on board, they were not allowed to leave the plane while in Antalya and Turkish authorities refused to refuel the aircraft. This was likely due to Turkey’s strained relations with Israel. The country has been a strong critic of Israel and has halted exports and imports to and from the country until at least October 26, 2024.
As a result of this situation, El Al considered flying to and landing at an airport in another country since the Turks would not refuel their aircraft. However, ultimately, El Al flight LY5102 was diverted to Rhodes, Greece. This left passengers stranded and without resolution for the medical emergency on board.
Prior to the conflict between Turkey and Israel, Turkish Airlines was a popular foreign carrier in Israel. However, just three days after the war broke out in July 2019, Turkish Airlines ceased operations in the country. This decision by Turkish Airlines has had a significant impact on air travel between these two countries.
The situation highlights how strained relations between two countries can have far-reaching consequences on various aspects of life including air travel. It is hoped that both sides will find a way to resolve their differences soon so that travelers can once again fly freely between Israel and Turkey without any restrictions or delays caused by political tensions.
