Air passengers asked to chip in for fuel

Passengers on Air France Flight 562 were asked to check if they had cash to pay for more fuel during an emergency stop in Syria.

(Getty)

Their aeroplane, heading from Paris to Lebanon's capital, diverted because of violence near the Beirut airport on Wednesday.

Air traffic controllers suggested a stop in Jordan. However, the aircraft was low on fuel and landed in Damascus, the capital of neighbouring Syria, where a civil war is raging.

An Air France spokesman explained on Friday that the crew inquired about passenger cash only as a "precautionary measure" because of the "very unusual circumstances".

Sanctions against Syria complicated payment for extra fuel.

He said Air France found a way to pay for the fill-up without tapping customer pockets - and apologised for the inconvenience.

The plane landed safely in Beirut.