EasyJet passengers stuck on tarmac for hours when plane couldn't refuel

EasyJet passengers were stranded on the tarmac for more than four hours after their flight was unable to refuel at a Spanish airport, in an incident that has reignited questions about the airline's operational resilience during the busy summer season.

The flight, from Palma de Mallorca to London Gatwick, was scheduled to depart in the early afternoon but was held at the gate after ground handling staff reported a problem with the refuelling system. Passengers were initially told the delay would be brief, but the situation deteriorated as the aircraft's auxiliary power unit was switched off to conserve fuel, leaving the cabin without air conditioning in temperatures that exceeded 30°C.

Passengers described conditions on board as increasingly distressing. Several reported that children were crying, elderly passengers were visibly struggling with the heat, and the crew appeared to have limited information about when the situation would be resolved. Water was distributed, but the supply ran out before the refuelling issue was fixed.

EasyJet apologised and said the delay was caused by a "complex technical issue" with the airport's refuelling infrastructure that was outside the airline's control. The airline said it provided refreshments and accommodation to affected passengers and that all customers would receive compensation under EU passenger rights rules.

The incident is the latest in a series of operational problems for the airline, which has faced criticism over its handling of disruption during peak periods. Aviation analysts say the industry's focus on cost efficiency has left carriers with limited buffers when things go wrong, a problem that becomes acutely visible during the summer when aircraft and crews are operating at maximum utilisation.