Lebanese passenger May Bsat told France Info: "The pilot asked first class passengers to give him cash, as apparently Damascus airport authorities had refused to give fuel to the plane. Everyone started rooting around for money and managed to raise 17,000 dollars (£11,000)." "But in the end the pilot took nothing, telling us that Air France had resolved the problem with the airport. Then they told us to take off our seat belts as there was a risk the plane could catch fire during refuelling and that we should run if told to." Another female passenger told Europe 1: "It was a horrible night. We spent two hours in Damascus with the plane blinds down. The captain told us: 'Don't take any videos or photos.'"