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First Air ground crews detail Air Transat delays

Ground crews working two Air Transat flights that faced high-profile tarmac delays this summer say the pilots didn't tell them, nor were they aware, of imminent fuel needs aboard one of the aircraft, nor were they asked for water for the passengers.


September 5, 2017  By The Canadian Press

One of the two international flights ran out of fuel during the hours-long delay, causing a shutdown of the air conditioning system, leading to rising cabin temperatures, a child vomiting before making it to the aircraft bathrooms, tensions over lack of water and, ultimately, a 911 call from one of the passengers.

Representatives from Kanata-based First Air, the ground handlers for Air Transat at the Ottawa airport, say they did order fuel, but it wasn’t possible to get it to the aircraft because they were parked on the taxiway at the far end of the airport. | READ MORE

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