Air Transat face 'unbearable' delays on runway

Passengers have described “unbearable” conditions after two flights were stranded for up to six hours on the runway of a Canadian airport.

Frustrated Air Transat fliers called emergency services amid the chaotic scenes in Ottawa as the jets from Rome and Brussels were stalled on the tarmac amid bad weather on July 31.

Now passengers have told an official inquiry they had to put up with poor air conditioning as well as a lack of food and water, while one boy became so nauseous he vomited on people as they sat in their seats.

More than one passenger testified in public hearings held by the Canadian Transportation Agency that they felt they were seen simply as "luggage".

In a statement to the panel, passengers Alan and Patricia Abraham, of Flight 507 from Rome, said they were initially told the delay in Ottawa would be just 45 minutes to refuel, but they ended up being held for five hours.