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Canadian Passengers Were Stuck In A Hot Plane For 6 Hours After Their Flight To Toronto Was Grounded
Each passenger was given two cups of water during that time.
By Colin Leggett July 31, 2019
It’s a well-known characteristic of human beings that they don’t like to be stuck anywhere longer than they have to be. Unfortunately, that was the case for the people on an Air Transat, Canada-bound flight from Italy that was grounded. A number of Canadian passengers were stuck in a hot plane with no air conditioning and very little water for six hours.
The airplane, which was heading to Toronto from Italy was grounded due to mechanical issues, and the passengers of flight 9309 were not allowed to head back into the terminal. Instead, they stayed on the plane and endured temperatures of up to 40 degrees, as passengers reported that the plane had no air conditioning. Brian Costa, one of the passengers on the flight, told CityNews, “We weren’t allowed to pass the stairs onto the tarmac. It was absolutely horrendous.”
Although passengers were eventually able to leave the plane and given hotel accommodations, people were less than pleased with the outcome. “They put us in a garbage hotel,” Costa told CityNews.
During the ordeal passengers also took to Twitter to express their outrage and shock at the whole situation.
Sitting on a hot plane for over 4 hours now in Rome, no food has been provided and there is no AC or airflow
@airtransatpic.twitter.com/PRRPzWvfe0— Olivia Abbott (@oliviaaabbottt) July 29, 2019
@airtransat @CP24 @City_tv @globalnewsto @CTVNews
pic.twitter.com/Q5V37j07pn— Brian (@briancosta1) July 29, 2019
How is being stuck on a plane with no AC for 6+ hrs with minimal updates and then you cancel the flight? Inhumane. How is this acceptable in 2019. Air Transat explain yourselves.
Over 6hrs on this plane with no AC or food…just to get deboarded and shoved in a dirty hotel.
pic.twitter.com/emEiZ12DEX— Ashley gamble (@Ashleyg99974869) July 29, 2019
Thanks @airtransat for the wonderful ending to my honeymoon!
Some also called out Air Transat directly, with people criticizing the company on Twitter for how they handled the situation.
@airtransat Me thinking that my friend from #TS9309 is going to make it home today and then realizing that she’s probably going to delayed further in Rome
pic.twitter.com/9WFPC7CrY0— Ethan Shapiro (@EthanShapiro8) July 30, 2019
@airtransat as a passenger on #ts9309 we were told a rep from the company would be at the gate to talk with us from the flight. Never saw the person we were meant to speak with. Who should we be contacting? Or when should we be expecting someone to contact us?—
adam carney (@agcarney) July 30, 2019
At least one person even expressed that they were worried to fly on Air Transat after this whole ordeal.
This is crazy. I have 2 small children flying with me on AirTransat this week and the fact there is a small chance that this is even possible is frightening.
Randeep Dhaliwal (@TheRealRandeep) July 31, 2019
Canada’s new passenger bill of rights guarantees that if passengers are stuck on a plane longer than three hours than it must return to the gate to allow passengers to leave. It also guarantees that planes will be air-conditioned during any delays. Unfortunately, since the plane was grounded in Italy, the bill of rights did not apply in this case. However, passengers were offered 600 euros for the inconvenience.
Canadian Aviation News 