Passengers Treated For Heat Problems At Charlotte-Douglas Airport
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Medic treated several passengers with heat-related problems aboard a sweltering US Airways flight to Philadelphia that returned to Charlotte-Douglas Airport on Friday afternoon.
It was the second time on Friday that 196 passengers had to be taken off the same plane because the air conditioner did not work.
"They said it was 114 degrees or something. It was very hot! I was just sweating up there," said Aiden Deleon, 9, who was taking his first trip on a plane.
Passengers boarded the plane at Charlotte-Douglas Airport about noon on Friday but were told to get off so the air conditioning system could be fixed.
Two-and-a-half hours later, they were back on the plane. Some passengers said that was a mistake.
"The plane was just as hot, if not hotter, than when we got off several hours before," Tom Kern said.
Passengers said the scene onboard the plane was chaotic after takeoff. They said the flight attendants were visibly frazzled, and several passengers had panic attacks.
"A man in a wheelchair passed out, and a baby. So we had to turn around come back here," said Beverly Johnson.
Medic treated several passengers for heat-related illnesses, and one person had to be transported to the hospital.
Channel 9 Eyewitness News asked US Airways why the plane took off in the first place.
A spokeswoman said, "We thought we had fixed the issue. It's normal for it to be a little hotter on board if the plane's on the ground. But clearly the issue wasn't fixed so we turned the fight around."
US Airways finally canceled the flight Friday evening and told passengers they would leave on a flight Saturday morning.
Copyright 2010 by WSOCTV.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Medic treated several passengers with heat-related problems aboard a sweltering US Airways flight to Philadelphia that returned to Charlotte-Douglas Airport on Friday afternoon.
It was the second time on Friday that 196 passengers had to be taken off the same plane because the air conditioner did not work.
"They said it was 114 degrees or something. It was very hot! I was just sweating up there," said Aiden Deleon, 9, who was taking his first trip on a plane.
Passengers boarded the plane at Charlotte-Douglas Airport about noon on Friday but were told to get off so the air conditioning system could be fixed.
Two-and-a-half hours later, they were back on the plane. Some passengers said that was a mistake.
"The plane was just as hot, if not hotter, than when we got off several hours before," Tom Kern said.
Passengers said the scene onboard the plane was chaotic after takeoff. They said the flight attendants were visibly frazzled, and several passengers had panic attacks.
"A man in a wheelchair passed out, and a baby. So we had to turn around come back here," said Beverly Johnson.
Medic treated several passengers for heat-related illnesses, and one person had to be transported to the hospital.
Channel 9 Eyewitness News asked US Airways why the plane took off in the first place.
A spokeswoman said, "We thought we had fixed the issue. It's normal for it to be a little hotter on board if the plane's on the ground. But clearly the issue wasn't fixed so we turned the fight around."
US Airways finally canceled the flight Friday evening and told passengers they would leave on a flight Saturday morning.
Copyright 2010 by WSOCTV.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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