Delta Passengers Pass Out Awaiting Takeoff in Las Vegas Heat

Multiple passengers fell ill and passed out on Monday afternoon aboard a flight waiting to take off in excessive heat from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, according to Fox Business News. Delta Airlines Flight 555 to Atlanta, which was queued behind more than a dozen other planes, wasn’t equipped with air conditioning sufficient to address the 111 to 115-degree temperatures outside the aircraft.

The plane was forced to return to the gate so paramedics could treat the passengers.

In a video posted by the news organization, the pilot can be heard announcing: “We certainly do apologize for the situation of it being very hot in the back there. This is the best that cooling is going to occur while passengers are on the aircraft.” The pilot then instructed passengers to “hit your call button if you’re having a medical emergency.”

Fox News field producer Krista Garvin, a passenger aboard the flight, said that at least five passengers were wheeled off the aircraft on stretchers.

Passengers were given a choice to exit the plane when it returned to the gate, according to Garvin. However, they were informed that if they did, it could take days to get another flight to Atlanta. Though many passengers remained aboard, they were eventually asked to deplane after waiting a total of four hours.

Delta Apologizes

Later, passengers were told the flight couldn’t take off because flight attendants had also fallen ill. Garvin said one was seen wheeled out on a stretcher in an oxygen mask.

Though the flight was rescheduled to 7 a.m. Tuesday, that flight was canceled again.

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,” the airline told Fox News.

According to Delta, its customers also received apologies and compensation.