Shocking video shows passengers stranded for THREE hours on a plane without aircon in Greece during blistering heatwave

Shocking video footage shows passengers stranded for three hours on a plane without aircon in Greece during the blistering heatwave.

The video, taken inside a Qatar Airways flight at Athens Airport four days ago, shows sweaty and frustrated passengers fanning themselves as they complain about the heat.

A group of people can be seen gathered around a woman fanning her as she is slumped in her seat looking unwell.

One man was so hot that he took his top off whilst others ranted to friends and family on the phone about the excruciating heat inside the aircraft or tried to call for help.

Qatar Airways have said the delay on the flight that was supposed to land in Doha, Qatar, was due to a 'technical issue'. 

The person who posted the video claims that passengers were 'dehydrating and passing out on the plane' and were not being 'fed or hydrated'.

A man and a woman frantically try to fan another passenger who seemed to be feeling unwell

The woman was surrounded by fellow passengers who tried to help her cool down

Passengers appeared to be using paper bags provided for travel sickness to fan the woman

They said Qatar Airways handling of the situation was 'atrocious at best' and even when they were finally allowed to disembark plane they had to sit in a queue with 'no communication from the company'.

Another video shows hundreds of people waiting inside the airport at the check-in with their luggage with only two staff members visible at the desk.

The full caption said: '@qatarairways how about helping your stranded passengers from flight QR204 that are stranded in Athens? 

'Your handling the situation is atrocious at best. Passengers were left stranded on the plane for 3 and a half hours with doors closed and no aircon. Passengers were literally dehydrating and passing out on the plane. 

'They were finally allowed off of the plane and are now sitting in a queue with no communication from the company as to what the situation is. Passengers have connecting flights out of Doha that will not be made.

'There is one person available at the Qatar check in desk helping one person at a time. Passengers aren't being fed or hydrated.'

Another video shows hundreds of people waiting inside the airport at the check-in with their luggage

Despite the crowds of waiting passengers, only two workers were seen working behind the check-in desk

A spokesperson for Qatar Airways said: 'Qatar Airways sincerely apologises for the delay to passengers travelling on flight QR204 from Athens (ATH) to Doha (DOH) on Monday 10 June 2024, which was due to a technical issue.

'As a result, all passengers were asked to disembark the aircraft and were supported by our staff at Athens International Airport while ground maintenance teams worked to resolve the issue. 

'The flight later departed from ATH, arriving in DOH at 10.39 local time on Tuesday 11 June 2024, where we extended our full support to all affected passengers upon arrival to ensure smooth onward connections to their final destination.

'We regard the safety and comfort of our passengers and crew as our highest priority at all times, and have offered our apologies to each passenger affected by this unforeseen disruption and the inconvenience caused. Additionally, passengers have been informed of their compensation entitlements in line with the applicable regulations.'

A view of the Parthenon temple as the Acropolis hill archaeological site is closed to visitors due to a heatwave hitting Athens on June 12

Tourists sit on the steps of the ancient Acropolis hill during a hot day in Athens, Greece

Officials in Greece were forced to close the Athens Acropolis during the hottest hours of Wednesday as the season's earliest-ever heatwave swept the country, prompting school closures and health warnings, as temperatures reached 43 degrees.

Meteorologists have noted this is the earliest heatwave - which for Greece is temperatures exceeding 38 degrees Celsius for at least three days - on record.

'This heatwave will go down in history,' meteorologist Panos Giannopoulos said on state TV ERT. 'In the 20th century we never had a heatwave before June 19. We have had several in the 21st century, but none before June 15,' he said.

The climate crisis and civil protection ministry has warned of a very high risk of fires in the Attica region around Athens.

An employee shuts the exit door of the Acropolis hill archaeological site as it temporarily closes due to a heatwave hitting the country

A woman is aided outside the Acropolis hill archaeological site after feeling unwell

Members of the Hellenic Red Cross hand over bottles of water to tourists visiting the Acropolis

Schools stayed closed in several regions of the country on Wednesday and Thursday, including in the capital, while the labour ministry has advised public-sector employees to work from home.

The ministry also ordered a pause from midday to 5pm for outdoor work including food delivery.

Greece's Red Cross said it had handed out some 12,000 bottles of water in the centre of the capital and at the Acropolis.

And in Greece's second city Thessaloniki, teachers and pupils said annual school exams were held under difficult conditions.