No AC before take-off?

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A. My husband and I have flown to and from Detroit on Northwest recently and on 2 of the 4 flights the plane was ridiculously hot (unhealthily hot). The flight crew said that they could not get the air going until they were moving -- but this has never happened to us on a flight before this. We were wondering if this is perhaps a new way for the airlines to cut costs by not cooling down the planes before take off or limiting their use of air conditioning.

Q. Yes, indeed. In order to run the AC they must run the engines, rather than just hooking up to the external power source. So we wouldn't be surprised if this is just another way to save on fuel.

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There could have been several reasons why there was a lack of a/c on the aircraft. Most aircraft have an APU (auxiliary power unit much like a generator), which sometimes is not working. When that system is working, there will be cooling. Also, most airlines have ground cooling where a ductwork-like tubing is plugged in to the aircraft. It sounds like neither one was available in your case. Believe me, your crew was suffering as well since they are required to wear those hot uniforms and they are moving through the cabin. As a former flight attendant, I would have been among the first ones to try to get a/c for passengers.

by on Wednesday, September 03, 2008

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No AC before take-off?

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