UPDATE: Air Transat provides statement on grounded flights

(UPDATE: July 31st @ 9:35 a.m.) - KelownaNow reached out to Air Transat about the two flights that waited on the tarmac for several hours after being grounded in Ottawa.

Air Transat's head of marketing, social media and public relations, Debbie Cabana replied with the following statement:

"Following yesterday’s violent late-afternoon thunderstorms in Montreal, some of our flights from Europe and the South had to be diverted to other airports. Unfortunately, this unusual situation beyond our control caused delays of several hours for our passengers.

Flight TS157, an Airbus A330 from Brussels with 336 passengers on board, had to land in Ottawa instead of Montreal. Nearly 30 planes with several airlines, including Air Transat, were diverted to Ottawa, creating exceptional traffic there. As a result, Ottawa airport staff were unable to provide with loading bridges or stairs that would have enabled the passengers on the Brussels flight to disembark or our ground crews to replenish the aircraft’s empty drinking water reservoir.

The delays that affected our passengers yesterday were caused mainly by congestion on the ramp at Ottawa airport as well as by delays in refueling our aircraft. The shortage of fuel on TS157 also explains the lack of air conditioning on board for a time.

We sincerely regret the inconveniences for our passengers caused by this situation that was beyond our control.

Thank you,

Debbie Cabana."

(Original Story: July 31st @ 7:21 a.m.) - On July 31st, Air Transat passengers from two flights were stuck on planes in Ottawa for several hours after their planes were grounded due to thunderstorms.

The plane was rerouted to Ottawa and then stayed on the tarmac, gates closed for five hours.

Passengers took to Twitter and one even called 9-1-1 from the plane.

@airtransat we have been stuck in the plane for over 5 hours with minimal updates. We barley have AC and we have young kids. Get us out.

— Laura Mah (@lauralmah) August 1, 2017

Passengers tweeted that they weren't being given any information, food and very little water.

Well, hopefully it waits for us because we're STILL in Ottawa somehow ...on a hot plane.... for 3.5 hrs on the tarmac.

— Del Corso (@swamp3r) August 1, 2017

AIR TRANSAT : Coincés dans l'avion durant des heures à Ottawa, ils appellent la police https://t.co/Xq1sk0zZa2 #Gatineau #Ottawa pic.twitter.com/7RnXnCrNGz

— ÉNERGIE Rougefm Gat. (@InfoENERougeGat) August 1, 2017

Plane rerouted. Been stock for three hours in heat in Ottawa @airtransat why not deplane? #passengerrights

— Brice de Schietere (@BriceBxl) August 1, 2017

No air. They are looking for who called 911 after 5 hours of suffocation @airtransat #passengerrights pic.twitter.com/7Am5kBUkBi

— Brice de Schietere (@BriceBxl) August 1, 2017

Passengers wanted to know why they couldn't get off the plane and wait, but the gate remained closed.

@airtransat Flt TS157 has been stuck for 5 hours now. EMS has been on board to attend pax due to heat. What is going on???

— JS Ferland (@js_ferland) August 1, 2017

Air Passenger Rights posted on their page on the morning of August 1st: "Passengers should not have to call 911 to exercise their right to disembark from a stranded flight."

Passengers complained of overheating and poor air quality.

Air Transat has not provided a formal statement on that particular flight, but did reply to @js_ferlrand trying to explain why the planes remained grounded.

However, the Air Transat reply didn't give an explanation as to why the passengers couldn't get off the plane to wait.

Were waiting for airport authorities, we have no control for that.YOW received more than 30 non-expected flights. /CPA

— Air Transat (@airtransat) August 1, 2017