Flight no air conditioning, Passengers on a Lufthansa flight
from Denver to Frankfurt on Sunday were outraged when the airline
reportedly kept them on board in Colorado for three hours with no air
conditioning.
"They said there were some technical and mechanical malfunctions,"
passenger Sarah Bogue told 9 News in Colorado. "They ran out of water. I
can't even tell you how hot it is in here. They should at least let us
off the plane to wait."
Bogue was on board with her toddler, 9 News reported.
An airport spokesperson confirmed the plane's air conditioning system had a mechanical malfunction.
Paramedics arrived at the scene approximately 90 minutes into the ordeal, airport spokeswoman Laura Coale said.
Though some passengers were treated for heat exhaustion, no one suffered
serious medical problems, The Associated Press reported.
The passengers were held on board at the gate while mechanics worked to
repair the air conditioning. Passengers finally were deboarded and spent
an hour back in the terminal. The flight departed about 10 p.m. Sunday
evening on the nine hour flight to Frankfurt.
Department of Transportation policy says passengers cannot be kept on a
plane on the tarmac for more than three hours. However, international
carriers can make their own standards, and Lufthansa's policy includes a
four-hour rule, reported 9 News.
Lufthansa did not responded to press inquiries.
