A video of passengers drenched in sweat and struggling to keep calm on a US flight due to the air conditioning system has sparked outrage on social media. According to a viral Reddit post, the flight temperature reached 54 degrees Celsius mid-air, and upon backlash, the cabin crew asked the passengers to "meditate". The footage shows passengers in distress, fanning themselves with in-flight manuals and magazines to cope with the unbearable cabin temperature. “Folks, we are trying to do our best right now. The sooner we get the air, the better,” a crew member can be heard saying. “Please be seated, seatbelts fastened, and armrests down. Please meditate and stay calm." The advice to “meditate and stay calm” did not land well. One passenger was heard saying, “Are you serious right now?” "POV: Air Is Broken On Your On Your Fight Today, It’s 130°," the Reddit post read. Watch the video here: POV: Air Is Broken On Your On Your Fight Today, It’s 130° byu/InGeekiTrust inTikTokCringe The incident sparked a conversation about airline accountability and the safety of passengers during mid-air mechanical failures. "This is incredibly dangerous for many people, could easily kill someone," a user wrote. "People with medical problems can die from the heat at that temperature. This is a lawsuit waiting to happen," another user commented. "You don't even need to have medical problems. This temperature is dangerous for anyone, especially if you're in it for several hours. This plane should not have left the ground," a third user said. "People never truly understand the pervasive nature of Southern heat until they experience it themselves. It’s that uncomfortable type of hot that you just can’t sit with ever," a fourth user wrote. A similar incident took place in June 2024, where passengers on a SpiceJet flight from Delhi to Darbhanga were forced to sit in the aircraft without air-conditioning for over an hour.
