DUBAI- British Airways (BA) passengers faced extreme heat onboard a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner after a malfunction left them without Air Conditioning (AC) during a two-hour tarmac delay.
The incident occurred on May 24 when Flight BA104 from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to London Heathrow (LHR) experienced an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) failure, preventing cabin cooling before takeoff, PYOK flagged.
Photo: Matt Taylor | FlickrBritish Airways Passengers Stuck in Dubai
British Airways Flight BA104 was scheduled to depart Dubai for a seven-hour journey to London. After passengers boarded the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on time, they were met with rising cabin temperatures due to an APU malfunction.
The APU is essential for providing power, and consequently air conditioning, while the aircraft is on the ground.
Ordinarily, ground equipment can substitute for a faulty APU, and once the engines start, cooling systems resume. However, the situation took a turn when the aircraft pushed back from the gate, only to stop during taxiing due to a cockpit warning light.
With the gate now occupied, the plane was diverted to a remote cargo area, leaving passengers stuck in stifling conditions.
Photo: By Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia – British Airways, G-ZBKP, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=78121351Passenger Accounts
According to passenger Jacqueline Stringer, the internal cabin temperature reached 47°C (116.6°F). Children were stripped down to diapers in a desperate attempt to stay cool, and only a single cup of water was distributed per passenger.
Flight attendants reportedly struggled to provide additional service due to the oppressive heat.
Stringer, who has high blood pressure, described the experience as both physically and emotionally distressing. She later turned to a British Airways complaints forum for advice, where she received mixed reactions—some sympathetic, others dismissive.
British Airways acknowledged the technical issue in a public statement and confirmed that the aircraft returned to stand for maintenance before eventually departing. The airline thanked customers for their patience but offered no indication of compensation or a formal apology.
While APU failures and ground delays are not uncommon in aviation, the extended exposure to extreme heat raises serious health and safety concerns. Given the risks to both passengers and crew, experts argue that protocols should prioritize well-being, even if it leads to operational complications or delays.
Representative Photo: dnataOperational Challenges
Reboarding passengers after a ground delay is a complex logistical challenge that airlines typically avoid.
Yet, when temperatures exceed safe thresholds, the case for temporary evacuation becomes stronger.
Cabin temperatures above 40°C can cause dehydration, heat exhaustion, or more serious health risks, especially among children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing conditions.
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The post British Airways Passengers Stuck in 787 Without AC at Dubai in 47°C Heat appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
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