Dozens of Qatar Airways passengers endured an extreme heatwave in Greece while stranded on the plane’s tarmac for three hours without air conditioning.
About 49 members of the Thai Muay Thai team returning from the World Championships were in 39C on board Doha-bound Qatar Airways Flight 204, which was delayed at Athens airport on Monday.
The passengers complained that the captain had refused to allow them to leave the plane despite the air conditioning being broken. They were kept in the plane with the doors closed for three hours, reports the Thai newspaper “The Thai Airways”. Matichon reported.
The extreme temperatures on the plane caused passengers to suffer nosebleeds, while some had to rely on oxygen masks.
Facing the first heatwave of the summer, Greek authorities have suspended schools, closed the ancient Acropolis tourist attraction and stationed paramedics across Athens. Temperatures are expected to reach 43 degrees Celsius in parts of the Mediterranean country on Thursday, driven by southerly winds bringing hot air and dust from North Africa.
A video shared by sports therapist Garth Collins showed restless passengers trying to cool themselves down with makeshift fans and several men standing shirtless.
“People were passing out and panic broke out,” Collins wrote on Instagram. He said passengers were eventually given a cup of water and a small soft drink, which was “completely inadequate to rehydrate a person after the forced sauna on the plane.”
After fierce protests and arguments with the cabin crew, the passengers were allowed to leave the plane after 3.5 hours and wait on the tarmac.
Airport authorities had to put fire engines on standby after smoke was reportedly seen rising from the rear of the plane.
Thananchai Sitsongpeenong, a Muay Thai athlete, said he did not notice the smoke until after he got off the plane.
“I feel lucky to have survived,” he told reporters, adding that the passengers melted in the sauna-like heat.
Australian passengers Jennie Zeiher and her husband Joe, who were also on board the flight, described the “horrific experience.”
“I am a frequent flyer, I travel regularly and I just don’t understand why we were even allowed on board,” Ms Zeiher told 7NEWS. “Not to mention what happened afterwards. It was just horrific.”
She said the flight attendants did their best and even brought a tray with some cups of water, “but I’m not sure they made it to the whole plane.”
“It seemed like they knew as little as we did about what was going on,” Ms Zeiher said, adding that there had been no communication or clarity about the situation.
“Qatar Airways sincerely apologizes for the delay to passengers of flight QR204 from Athens (ATH) to Doha (DOH) on Monday, June 10, 2024, due to a technical issue,” the airline said in a statement.
A spokesman said The sun: “As a result, all passengers were asked to disembark the aircraft and were assisted by our staff at Athens International Airport while ground maintenance teams worked to resolve the issue.
“The flight later departed from ATH and arrived in DOH on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at 10:39 a.m. local time, where we offered our full assistance to all affected passengers upon arrival to ensure smooth onward travel to their final destination.
“The safety and comfort of our passengers and crew is always our highest priority. We have apologized to all passengers affected by this unforeseen disruption and the inconvenience caused.”
After disembarking, passengers had to wait another four hours in the terminal to get hotel accommodation, she added.
The flight finally left Athens on Tuesday after 12 hours at 6:27 a.m. and arrived in Doha at 10:34 a.m.The Independent has asked Qatar Airways for comment.
