Feds to investigate 3-day Delta flight ordeal at Harry Reid airport

Federal authorities are investigating why Delta Air Lines passengers were left on board a plane in severe heat at Harry Reid International Airport, causing two passengers to be hospitalized.

“I want to know how it was possible for passengers to be left in triple-digit heat on board an aircraft for that long,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told Reuters, noting that the episode had lasted several hours.

“Even at normal temperatures, a tarmac delay is not supposed to go that long, and we have rules about that, which we are actively enforcing right now,” he said.

Two passengers were hospitalized and five treated for heat illness on Monday after a Boeing 757 that was supposed to fly to Atlanta sat for three hours in 110-degree heat in a takeoff line without air conditioning, according to a Clark County Fire Department official.

Flightaware.com tracking software provided conflicting times on the gate departure for Flight 555, but indicated it was between 2 to 3 p.m. The county fire official said crews responded to a call for help at 5:10 p.m. when the jet had returned to the gate area.

Delta said in a statement after the Monday incident that it was investigating and had compensated passengers on the flight. It says the tarmac delay covered an hour, but other reports say three hours.

On Friday, Delta spokesman Anthony Black said: “We have done everything we can as far as passengers go.” He declined further comment.

FAA regulations requires airlines to provide comfortable cabin temperatures during tarmac delays. The transportation department said it will hold the airline accountable for any violations.

Airlines can be fined up to $27,500 a passenger for tarmac delays over three hours, according to the FAA.

‘Never happened in his career’

At least one passenger said she had trouble departing Las Vegas for Atlanta through Delta last weekend.

Katie Ives, 33, a resident of Savannah, Georgia, and her husband James, 39, were set to fly on Flight 555 on Saturday.

But it took them until Tuesday morning to get home.

“The same plane that people overheated on the 17th and were hospitalized,” she said, “I saw the TV stories and recognized some of the people who were on the Saturday flight.”

The Ives’ unsuspecting ordeal began shortly after the passenger door was locked.

“Right after they closed the door, a flight attendant told the pilot that she was having a personal issue,” Ives said. “She apparently didn’t like his tone, and she opened the door and walked off the job.

“The pilot got on the intercom and explained that this had never happened in his career,” she said. But without enough crew, the pilot said FAA regulations required everybody to deplane.

She said another flight attendant later boarded the plane, but while taxing, the engine overheated.

Some passengers had to sleep in the airport while others were able to be provided hotel rooms, depending on how quick one could get into the line to get a hotel, she said.

A planned 6 a.m. Sunday departure was delayed three hours before the pilot announced that they had to test the engine again. It failed, and the flight was canceled.

No other flights were available Sunday, and Delta said it would not pay for a rental car for her to drive to Los Angeles or Phoenix to get a flight home since all flights were booked in Las Vegas.

On Monday morning, Ives said passengers were asked to board the same plane again, but several dozen refused.

The Ives flew to Los Angeles through American Airlines and later took a Delta flight home early Tuesday, she said.

Ives said Delta has not offered compensation, even after spending several hours on the phone this week with customer service and managers.

Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Marv_in_Vegas on Twitter.