Distraught tourists were left suffocating on board a plane when an air conditioning fault sent temperatures soaring to 50 degrees. Trapped passengers began to fear for their lives aboard the Boeing 737-800, with a doctor on board shouting, “If we take off now, the children won’t survive.” They were on a Mavi Gök Airlines flight from Antalya, Turkey, to Munster, Germany, on June 6 when the drama unfolded.
Dominik Janssen, from Leer, Lower Saxony, who was returning home with his family after a stay in Turkey, told German media: “When we got on, we immediately noticed how hot it was on the plane,” he said. daily mail.
His wife Nancy said she helped a five-month-old baby, fanning him in an attempt to keep him cool. Dominik added: “The children were getting louder and louder, everyone’s water was running. The situation was very precarious. A father and a woman were scared to death for their children. Panic spread to everyone.”
According to the passengers, there was little help from the crew as temperatures reached a staggering 52°C. Instead, flight preparations continued and the Boeing moved toward the runway. A Turkish-speaking doctor addressed the crew with a dramatic appeal, Nancy recalled: “He said that if we take off now, the children will not survive.”
The pilot finally returned to the airport terminal, but things did not improve there either. Dominik said: “The airline offered no help.” According to reports, they did not even distribute water.
In a statement, Mavi Gök Airlines said: “The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew is our top priority.” The airline also promised to work with relevant authorities to avoid such incidents in the future.
This incident highlights the critical importance of the operation of air conditioning systems on aircraft, especially during hot weather. The distress and fear experienced by passengers underscores the urgent need for airlines to ensure the comfort and safety of their passengers. As temperatures continue to rise globally, airlines must prioritize effective climate control measures to prevent similar dangerous situations from occurring.
