Narrative:

Passenger (all 140 of them) had been loaded on our new airplane and left on board with no air conditioning. The APU was operable; but shut down. Ventilation was on; but was completely inadequate. The cabin temperature gauge was over 90 degrees. The combination of heat and humidity was barely tolerable. The smell of vomit was in the air. Upon arrival; I started the APU and turned on the air conditioning. The airplane didn't cool off much prior to our departure. The outside air temperature was approximately 65 degrees. I have seen this happen before; and am extremely concerned that this puts the passenger/flight attendant crew at extreme risk. The possibility of someone (young child; the elderly; etc) having some type of health related problem (such as a heart attack; dehydration; heat stroke; etc) seems far too high to me. Not to mention the discomfort these people are being subjected to. Passenger safety cannot be overlooked just to get them on board for a fast departure. Preventive measures: my solution to this problem is simple. If there is not a member of the flight crew present; do not board. Determine; positively; how long it will be before they will be present. If that will be a long time (or it is unknown); do not board unless someone APU qualified (mechanic for example) is there to run the air conditioning. It does not take a very high outside air temperature; or long period of time (as is presented in this case) to allow the airplane to heat up to 90-100 degrees in a very short time. Especially in this case; a full airplane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FO CITES CONCERNS ABOUT PAX ON AIRPLANE WITHOUT ANY VENTILATION.

Narrative: PAX (ALL 140 OF THEM) HAD BEEN LOADED ON OUR NEW AIRPLANE AND LEFT ON BOARD WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING. THE APU WAS OPERABLE; BUT SHUT DOWN. VENTILATION WAS ON; BUT WAS COMPLETELY INADEQUATE. THE CABIN TEMP GAUGE WAS OVER 90 DEGS. THE COMBINATION OF HEAT AND HUMIDITY WAS BARELY TOLERABLE. THE SMELL OF VOMIT WAS IN THE AIR. UPON ARR; I STARTED THE APU AND TURNED ON THE AIR CONDITIONING. THE AIRPLANE DIDN'T COOL OFF MUCH PRIOR TO OUR DEP. THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMP WAS APPROX 65 DEGS. I HAVE SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE; AND AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED THAT THIS PUTS THE PAX/FLT ATTENDANT CREW AT EXTREME RISK. THE POSSIBILITY OF SOMEONE (YOUNG CHILD; THE ELDERLY; ETC) HAVING SOME TYPE OF HEALTH RELATED PROB (SUCH AS A HEART ATTACK; DEHYDRATION; HEAT STROKE; ETC) SEEMS FAR TOO HIGH TO ME. NOT TO MENTION THE DISCOMFORT THESE PEOPLE ARE BEING SUBJECTED TO. PAX SAFETY CANNOT BE OVERLOOKED JUST TO GET THEM ON BOARD FOR A FAST DEP. PREVENTIVE MEASURES: MY SOLUTION TO THIS PROB IS SIMPLE. IF THERE IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE FLT CREW PRESENT; DO NOT BOARD. DETERMINE; POSITIVELY; HOW LONG IT WILL BE BEFORE THEY WILL BE PRESENT. IF THAT WILL BE A LONG TIME (OR IT IS UNKNOWN); DO NOT BOARD UNLESS SOMEONE APU QUALIFIED (MECH FOR EXAMPLE) IS THERE TO RUN THE AIR CONDITIONING. IT DOES NOT TAKE A VERY HIGH OUTSIDE AIR TEMP; OR LONG PERIOD OF TIME (AS IS PRESENTED IN THIS CASE) TO ALLOW THE AIRPLANE TO HEAT UP TO 90-100 DEGS IN A VERY SHORT TIME. ESPECIALLY IN THIS CASE; A FULL AIRPLANE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.