A passenger on a delayed Ryanair flight from Spain to Manchester has described how holiday-makers were 'trapped' inside the jet for more than two hours as temperatures soared into the 40s.
Ryanair flight FR6597 was supposed to leave Barcelona Airport at 4.50pm local time on Monday but passengers were only allowed to board at around 6pm. Instead of departing, passengers were left dripping in sweat as the Boeing 737 remained on the tarmac for two hours.
Passengers forced to pay for water
Video from inside the plane showed sweating passengers trying to fan themselves while they waited hours for a departure. Passengers who believed they were being handed free water were shocked to discover they had to pay, it was claimed.
The temperature at Barcelona Airport reached a high of 31C outside but inside the plane it topped 40C, it was alleged.
One passenger on board, Rachel, a 34-year-old teacher and a mother of two six-year-old twins, shared a video she shot aboard the aircraft and later told the Manchester Evening News sweating passengers were 'trapped' on board and had to pay three euro and 50 cents for bottles of water.
Passengers describe 'sauna-like' conditions
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."
"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."
Children crying, passengers fainting
"There were children crying. There was a woman with a heart condition seated behind me who fainted. She was slumped over. 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"
"They were telling us if anyone wanted to get off they wouldn't be allowed back onto the plane. A few people fainted. My husband nearly fainted. There was a school trip of about 30 children aged 15 or 16."
At about 8.20pm, with no sign of a departure, all the passengers were told to disembark. Inside the terminal, some of the male passengers removed their dripping wet tops but they were ordered by local officials to put them back on, said Rachel.
Passengers eventually reboard and depart
"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.
The passengers were eventually told to re-board the plane which departed shortly before 1am Spanish time today (Tuesday July 21, 2026), landing back in Manchester at 2am UK time to cheers from the exhausted passengers.
"It was an absolutely horrific experience," said Rachel, adding that passengers were given four euro vouchers which could only be spent inside the terminal. Shops inside the terminal were closed, she said.
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."
