On May 20, 2026, an El Al Boeing 777-200ER operating flight LY19 from Tel Aviv to New York JFK landed safely after a tense final approach marked by a critically low fuel situation. The aircraft, registered 4X-ECF, was completing an approximately 11 to 11.5-hour transatlantic flight that included more than 30 minutes of holding over Rhode Island due to traffic flow restrictions toward JFK.
During final approach around 21:20 local time, the crew reduced speed without prior coordination with air traffic control, disrupting the landing sequence. The controller indicated the flight might have to be resequenced. The pilots responded that they did not have fuel for additional delays and could not perform a go-around, explicitly stating they did not have fuel for such a maneuver.
The 777-200ER nevertheless continued the approach and touched down normally at JFK, then taxied to the gate without incident, injuries or damage. Available recordings and analyses highlight that the crew did not clearly declare a fuel emergency in standard phraseology ahead of the critical phase, and that any mention of minimum fuel came very late, despite indicating they lacked margin for a go-around. No official investigation results or detailed data on remaining fuel quantity have been published at this stage.