Passengers on a Qatar Airways flight from Athens to Doha went to extreme lengths to regulate their body temperatures as the Boeing 777 sat for 3 hours on the tarmac in Athens on Monday while the plane’s air conditioning systems failed to function along with other systems.
With 100 degree temperatures in the cabin, passengers began to strip off their clothes. Footage from the plane showed passengers fanning themselves and each other, drenched in sweat. Some even appeared to pass out due to dehydration.
An emergency weather bulletin had been issued in Greece for excessive heat this week, closing the Acropolis and schools, and halting garbage collection.
Passengers were finally allowed off the aircraft following the mechanical delay. According to Qatar Airways,
Qatar Airways sincerely apologizes for the delay to passengers traveling on flight QR204 from Athens (ATH) to Doha (DOH) on Monday 10 June 2024, which was due to a technical issue.
We regard the safety and comfort of our passengers and crew as our highest priority at all times, and have offered our apologies to each passenger affected by this unforeseen disruption and the inconvenience caused.
Passengers reportedly received only a cup of water and a small soft drink during the delay. Qatar Airways eventually reboarded the aircraft and landed in Doha 16 hours later than scheduled, with the airline saying they’re honoring EU261 compensation.
