Israeli Passengers Held Hours on Blue Bird Flight Without Air Conditioning Over Greek Airspace Delays

Israeli passengers on a Blue Bird flight from Rhodes to Israel were delayed inside the plane for several hours without ventilation or air conditioning on Sunday. The Israeli-owned airline attributed the delay to unusually heavy air traffic over Greece and a hold-up in receiving takeoff clearance from air traffic control.

Passenger Hadar Weisman described the ordeal during a conversation with Yoav Limor and Wensley Breda, saying the passengers waited two hours before boarding and then remained on the plane for another hour without air conditioning. She recounted that her sister-in-law suffered an asthma attack and others nearly fainted due to the stifling heat. Despite requests, the crew initially refused to turn on the air conditioning, citing security reasons, only activating it after passengers became visibly distressed. Water was distributed, but no clear explanation was given for the delay.

Blue Bird responded that the delay was caused by the heavy air traffic and delayed takeoff clearance, requiring the plane to remain ready for immediate departure. Additionally, a ground power supply failure at the airport affected the plane’s air conditioning system. The airline apologized for the discomfort and said the crew did their best to assist passengers during the wait.