An Air France jet was diverted to Damascus due to “tensions” at its destination airport in Beirut. They couldn’t take off again without refueling, and the Syrian authorities weren’t about to extend credit to Air France (France is part of the coalition calling for UN intervention in the conflict). So the crew passed the hat around the first class cabin, raising “17,000” (units not specified) to pay for fuel — though in the end, it wasn’t needed.