Several passengers onboard a Delta Air Lines flight out of Las Vegas fainted after it sat on the apron for over three hours without air conditioning. At least five passengers were wheeled off the plane after paramedics were called.
Delta passengers faint amid Vegas heat
On July 17th, Delta flight DL555 was scheduled to depart Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) at around 13:45 local time en route to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). However, the flight found itself stuck in a queue behind more than a dozen other flights, forcing it to wait on the apron.
The Boeing 757s air conditioning system was not functioning as the aircraft baked under the Las Vegas summer heat. Temperatures reached triple figures (between 111 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit), and cabin conditions soon became unbearable.
Oxygen masks, paramedics called
As reported by FOX Business, FOX News field producer Krista Garvin was on the flight and gave a first-hand account of what happened. About two hours in, several passengers began to suffer ill effects from the heat – the pilot instructed the cabin to “hit your call button if you’re having a medical emergency,” and flight attendants were seen issuing oxygen masks to those worst affected.
Garvin said,
“The sanitary crew came onboard because some people had thrown up. I want to say one woman walked up the aisle. She was visibly ill. She couldn’t even open her eyes. She was swaying back and forth.”
The situation worsened, with multiple passengers losing consciousness and some soiling themselves – the pilot later said that some of the flight attendants had fallen ill, so the flight may not be able to leave at all. Paramedics boarded the aircraft equipped with stretchers, and all passengers would eventually disembark.
Photo: travelarium.ph/Shutterstock
While there isn’t a specific law mandating functional air conditioning systems onboard commercial aircraft, the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Code of Federal Regulations requires airlines to maintain comfortable and clean cabin air conditions, and air conditioning is the only way of doing this. There have been several incidents of passengers falling ill due to a lack of onboard AC, including on Go First and Alliance Air flights last summer.
Flight rescheduled, then canceled
During the ordeal, passengers were told they could exit the plane if they wished, but that it might take days to get on another flight to Atlanta. The airline initially rescheduled the flight for the next morning but then canceled it altogether.
Delta said in a statement,
“We apologize for the experience our customers had on flight 555 from Las Vegas to Atlanta on July 17, which ultimately resulted in a flight cancellation. Delta teams are looking into the circumstances that led to uncomfortable temperatures inside the cabin and we appreciate the efforts of our people and first responders at Harry Reid International.”
Delta added that it had issued a direct apology to all passengers on the flight, as well as compensation and help getting booked on other flights.
Were you onboard Delta flight DL555 from Las Vegas to Atlanta on Monday afternoon? Have you ever been on a flight that wasn’t air-conditioned properly? Let us know your stories in the comments.
Source: FOX Business