From the 'Don't Pay the Ferryman . . ' files:

Crew asks air travelers to pitch in for jet fuel

"Authorities at the Damascus airport told the crew that they could not accept credit cards because of the sanctions — cash only. So as a "precaution," an Air France spokeswoman said, the crew asked the passengers how much money they happened to have in their wallets to help pay for fuel.

One woman aboard said the passengers rounded up 17,000 euros, or about $21,000."