Passenger Stuck on Delta Flight in Triple-Digit Heat Describes Chaos: 'People Were Throwing Up, Crying'
Entertainment executive April Love says she and the other passengers were starting to panic after two hours with no air and water: "I felt like I was in the Matrix"
For one entertainment executive, it was the flight from hell.
April Love, an entertainment executive and producer, was trying to return home to Atlanta from Las Vegas on Delta flight 555 on July 17 when she, along with the other passengers, found themselves stuck on the tarmac for three hours with no air-conditioning in triple-digit heat. The event is now being investigated by federal agencies.
"It was awful," Love tells PEOPLE of the chaotic ordeal. "After two hours they finally gave us water, but people were passing out, throwing up, babies were screaming. One person had an accident on themselves. It was traumatizing."
Love says the flight eventually went back to the gate after several hours, but even then, the passengers had to stay put while other passengers in the deepest distress were tended to. "EMTs had to rush on to tend to people who needed oxygen," Love says, saying that the heat was unbearable, especially since she was in a window seat. The heat index in Las Vegas that day reached a sweltering 114 degrees.
"Being pressed against that window, with a full flight, recirculated air, and no water? Oh no. It was completely traumatizing," Love continues. "Completely ridiculous."
Related: 2 Hospitalized After Plane Passengers Were Trapped on Tarmac During Las Vegas Heat Wave
“We apologize for the experience our customers had on flight 555," the airline told PEOPLE in a statement. "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.”
Love says the nightmare began the way summer air travel often does — with a delay.
"I got to the gate early for the 1pm flight, and eventually people were looking concerned something was wrong. They didn't have enough flight attendants, so we were delayed about an hour until a flight attendant showed up. When that guy arrived, everyone was cheering and clapping. It was funny. I was just relieved to be getting out of there, because I'd just worked three days straight.
However, once everyone was seated, Love says someone came on the overhead and announced that the plane thad a mechanical issue that needed to be fixed.
"So we ended up sitting there about 45, 50 minutes, just waiting," she says, noting that it was boiling hot. "Everybody was sweating." The next announcement that came said there was a weight issue, and they asked for volunteers to get off the plane.
"About ten people got off, so then we had to deal with that," Love says, noting in hindsight she'd wished she volunteered. "We get in line to take off, and they told us we were fifth in line." But then nothing happened, again.
"It was exceptionally hot at this point," she says. "I'm a Delta loyalist and I fly all the time, so I'm used to it — it doesn't really get cool until you get up in the air. But this time it was already just so hot when we got on. Then they say, oh, we got several flights in front of us so it's going to be a while."
That's when things took a turn among the passengers. "People were frustrated, it's just chaos. People were getting sick, throwing up, getting up and out of their seat. They finally passed out water around the two-hour mark."
They were then told they were turning back to the gate. "There was a ruckus at the back, and that's when we were told we had to go back because of the medical emergencies." After one of the flight attendants also passed out from the extreme heat, the plane was stuck without enough attendants to continue, so Love says they were back to the original problem.
Things didn't get better from there. Love says they all got off the flight, which was eventually canceled, and were given hotel vouchers, but all the hotels were full, so she booked her own. Then she had to get her bag, which had her diabetes medicine in it. "I was a zombie at this point, just dehydrated and so tired."
She eventually made it to her hotel with her bag around 11pm, and had to be back at the airport at 5 am for a 7 am flight, which was also canceled. She eventually made it home to Atlanta, but is frustrated with the lack of response from the airline over how serious the situation was.
"I would say,do better. Really, really take into consideration what happened and how detrimental that could have been. If you lost one life, you would really be in a crisis," she says. "They offered me 20,000 skymiles, but I have half a million miles. I'm a platinum medallion member. So I'm agitated."
She continues, "There's no reason the CEO hasn't made a statement and apologized. Instead, we're getting emails from a customer service representative kind of dismissing it. But stop trying to downplay it. Step up, and be a better example for all these other airlines that are screwing up."
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Read the original article on People.
