Passengers trapped on ‘sauna’ jet on London to Bangkok flight (video)
In a nightmare at 30,000 feet, passengers on a Heathrow to Bangkok flight endured panic attacks and struggled to breathe after their plane turned into a sweltering sauna for two hours. The Boeing 777, operated by Thai Airways (THAI), was set to depart on Thursday, July 25 but never left the ground due to a malfunctioning air conditioning system.
Video footage captured the chaotic scene aboard flight TG 917 as hundreds of travellers fanned themselves to stay cool. Warawalan Maksaen, a 26 year old University of Exeter student, described the unbearable conditions.
“People were stuck on the plane and couldn’t leave. We were hot and couldn’t breathe. At least in a sauna, you can leave when you want. This was like a form of torture.”
Scheduled for a 9.25pm take-off, the flight was delayed when the captain announced the air conditioning issue. Passengers remained trapped inside until 11pm without food or water.
“Someone had a panic attack. A flight attendant finally brought water and opened the door for fresh air.”
With Heathrow’s curfew preventing technicians from fixing the problem, the flight was rescheduled for the next day. Passengers faced a grim choice: sleep at the airport or take a bus to find a hotel. Warawalan and others waited until 2am for transportation, only to discover the airline-provided hotel had just eight rooms. Groups and families were prioritised, leaving solo travellers like Warawalan to fend for themselves.
Finally securing accommodation at 3am, Warawalan returned to the airport the next afternoon, only to face further delays. Despite assurances that the air conditioning was fixed, the plane’s engine wouldn’t start. Passengers reboarded at 6.49pm after another agonising wait, reported Daily Mail UK.
“I was so disappointed by THAI. Their service was appalling. I’ve received a compensation offer but never want to fly with them again. Foreign passengers were extremely disappointed, and their first impression of Thailand was ruined.”
