Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg confirmed the Department of Transportation (DOT) is now investigating why Delta Air Lines passengers remained on a plane in high heat with no air conditioning at a Las Vegas airport earlier this week.
“The reports are shocking and we are investigating, I want to know how it was possible for passengers to be left in triple-digit heat onboard an aircraft for that long. Even at normal temperatures a tarmac delay is not supposed to go that long and we have rules about that, which we are actively enforcing right now,” Mr. Buttigieg said in a statement on Friday to news outlets about the incident.
During tarmac delays, airlines must provide comfortable cabin temperatures and begin moving the plane within three hours of a delayed domestic flight to a location where passengers can exit, according to federal rules. There were reports that temperatures inside the plane exceeded 110 degrees Fahrenheit while it was waiting on the tarmac Monday.
Delta told news outlets that it is reviewing the incident and added that multiple passengers were seen by first responders, while a flight attendant and passenger were transported to a local hospital.
“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,” the Atlanta-based company said in a statement. “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.”
A Fox News producer was onboard Delta Flight 555, which was slated to go from Las Vegas to Atlanta before it was canceled. That producer, Krista Garvin, wrote on Twitter that she saw visibly sick passengers due to the high heat.
Passengers, she said, were given a choice to leave the flight but were warned by Delta staff that it could take days to re-book a new trip to Atlanta.
In one Twitter post, Ms. Garvin called it an “INSANE experience” and added that she saw a number of passengers passing out due to the heat. The flight was delayed initially and that once passengers boarded, they were left there for “almost 3 hours on a hot plane in 111 degree weather” before takeoff.
Delta told Reuters at the time of initial departure until the flight was canceled was just over three hours, but the airline noted the plane did make at least one gate return due to heat-related weight and balance issues. Delta said it apologized directly to passengers on the flight, adding they had received compensatory gestures and were accommodated on other flights.
Heat Wave
Temperatures at the Vegas airport ranged between 111 and 115 degrees on Monday afternoon, said the National Weather Service (NWS). It comes in the midst of a heat wave that’s enveloped much of the southern United States.
“Dangerously hot afternoons with little overnight relief expected. This will result in a major to extreme risk of heat related illness for much of the population,” the NWS said in a bulletin issued by the NWS’s Las Vegas office.
The alert said that children, people with chronicle illnesses, and the elderly should be cautious during the heat wave. “Heat exhaustion, cramps or in extreme cases, heat stroke can result from prolonged exposure to these conditions. Friends, relatives or neighbors should check on people who may be at risk,” the service said.
“Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors,” the statement said. “Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside.”
The California Independent System Operator (ISO) said it was able to end Thursday’s emergency after securing additional resources. The ISO did not say where those resources came from but its website said imports from neighboring states increased around that time.
