Passengers aboard a delayed Ryanair flight from Barcelona to Manchester have described being 'trapped' inside the aircraft for over two hours as temperatures climbed into the 40s Celsius.
Ryanair flight FR6597 was scheduled to depart Barcelona Airport at 4.50pm local time on Monday, but passengers were not permitted to board until approximately 6pm. Rather than taking off, the Boeing 737 sat motionless on the tarmac for two hours, leaving passengers drenched in perspiration.
Footage captured inside the plane showed sweating passengers desperately attempting to fan themselves. Those who believed they were being handed complimentary water were reportedly stunned upon discovering they were expected to pay.
Passenger accounts
The temperature at Barcelona Airport reached a peak of 31C outside, while inside the aircraft it reportedly exceeded 40C.
One passenger, Rachel, a 34-year-old teacher and mother of two six-year-old twins, filmed video footage aboard the plane and spoke to the Manchester Evening News. She stated that sweating passengers were 'trapped' on board and charged three euro and 50 cents for bottles of water.
She said: "Everything seemed to be fine at first although it was very hot outside, 32 or 33C. We got a message to sit down as quickly as possible as there would be no air conditioning until the engines were on and we were moving.
"It was getting hotter and hotter and we were sitting there and we weren't moving. Then they gave out water and we thought it was free of charge but then they came though the cabin asking for whoever had taken the water with their payment machines and taking money. After the first 45 minutes people were dripping in sweat and we just weren't getting any information."
Rachel added: "The staff were telling us to sit down or we'd miss our slot and everyone sat down and we thought we were leaving but again nothing happened. Another 20 minutes went by and we were still sitting there and still waiting. Then we were told there would be a further delay.
"At that point it was so hot people were asking to be let off the plane. It got really bad. It was scary at that point because there was no cool air at all. Everyone was pouring with sweat. It was like being locked inside a sauna. It felt exactly like that."
Medical incidents
Rachel described children crying and a woman with a heart condition who fainted. "The temperature must have been in the high 40s. I was looking at my own children and their faces were all puffy because of the heat. It was actually shocking how they treated us. They wouldn't do that to animals."
She said passengers were told that if anyone wanted to get off, they would not be allowed back onto the plane. A few people fainted, and her husband nearly fainted. There was a school trip of about 30 children aged 15 or 16.
At around 8.20pm, with no indication of an imminent departure, all passengers were instructed to leave the aircraft. Inside the terminal, some male passengers removed their dripping wet tops, only to be ordered by local officials to put them back on, according to Rachel.
"I felt for the crew to be honest. I don't really blame them. They were just doing their jobs and they were as hot as we were. I don't think they really knew what was going on," said Rachel.
Departure and Ryanair response
Passengers were eventually instructed to reboard the aircraft, which departed shortly before 1am Spanish time on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, touching down at Manchester at 2am UK time to cheers from the exhausted passengers.
"It was an absolutely horrific experience," said Rachel, adding that passengers were handed four euro vouchers redeemable only within the terminal. She noted that shops inside the terminal were shut.
A Ryanair statement said: "This flight from Barcelona to Manchester (21 Jul) was delayed prior to departure due to thunderstorms at Barcelona Airport. Passengers were disembarked during the delay and reboarded once weather conditions improved.
"Passengers booked on this flight received communications via email and PUSH notifications and were issued with refreshment vouchers during the delay. Once weather conditions improved, this flight departed for Manchester at 00:29am local time."
