Several dozen passengers to Brussels have been stuck at Alicante airport since Sunday morning due to a technical problem with a TUI fly Belgium Boeing 737-800 registered OO-TNC, reports Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws.
The incoming flight TB1111 had arrived on time from Brussels at 08:35.
After boarding the aircraft, the passengers had to wait for four hours in sweltering heat before being allowed to disembark and wait in the airport. According to the latest information, they could take off towards Brussels Airport tonight at 18:25.
They should have left Alicante on flight TB1112 this morning at 09:30, but just before take-off, they were told in the plane that there was a technical problem with a sensor in one of the wings. The air conditioning was turned off, so it quickly became sweltering hot: the outside temperature was 37°C.
After 4 hours onboard, a bus took the travellers to the airport, where they were given a €20 voucher to spend on food and drinks.
Eventually, the passengers were able to leave Alicante with a 10 more than hours delay on an alternate aircraft, Boeing 737-800 OO-JBG, coming from Brussels South Charleroi as ferry flight JAF111F. The plane took off from Alicante at 19:57 and is expected to land at Brussels Airport at 22:03.
The ferry flight also carried TUI technicians who will try to repair the stranded aircraft.
Source: Het Laatste Nieuws and FlightRadar24
Passengers stuck in an aircraft without airconditioning, at temperatures above 37 degrees, is that corona proof flying ?
OO-JBG actually came from CRL, not BRU.