Narrative:

Aircraft dispatched with the #2 air conditioning pack inoperative. Between the delays on the gate and our hour long taxi (had to return to the gate in sfo for maintenance); the passenger (approximately 330 passenger on board) were exposed to cabin temperatures in the high 90's (peak was 97 degrees F) and high humidity for close to 2 hours prior to takeoff. This produces heat indexes unsafe for elderly and the very young. Additionally; 1 hour after takeoff temperatures in the aft cabin were still above 90 degrees F. 2 hours after takeoff temperatures in the aft cabin were still above 80 degrees F. We had many; many reports from flight attendants as to passenger complaining of extreme discomfort. 1 flight attendant report mentioned the passenger were becoming slightly 'hostile.' as bad as things were in the cabin; the hottest location in the B747 is in the cockpit and we had temperatures also in the upper 90's during all of our ground operations and takeoff. Despite whatever level of physical fitness a pilot possesses; prolonged temperatures like these will degrade performance. 2 pack operations in a B747 should not be attempted in anything but the coldest months of the yr. This aircraft was not fixed while in ZZZZ and ZZZZ had no ground air available. I'd assume conditions there were similar on taxi out for the ZZZZ crew and passenger as what we experienced. And as a non-safety related aside; we've just given over 300 people a very good reason to avoid at all costs flying our airline ever again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747 IS DISPATCHED IN SUMMER HEAT WITH ONLY TWO PACKS OPERATIVE. REPORTER DESCRIBES CABIN TEMPERATURE THAT PEAKED AT 97 DEGREES DURING TAXI AND STILL 80 DEGREES TWO HOURS INTO FLIGHT.

Narrative: ACFT DISPATCHED WITH THE #2 AIR CONDITIONING PACK INOP. BTWN THE DELAYS ON THE GATE AND OUR HR LONG TAXI (HAD TO RETURN TO THE GATE IN SFO FOR MAINT); THE PAX (APPROX 330 PAX ON BOARD) WERE EXPOSED TO CABIN TEMPS IN THE HIGH 90'S (PEAK WAS 97 DEGS F) AND HIGH HUMIDITY FOR CLOSE TO 2 HRS PRIOR TO TKOF. THIS PRODUCES HEAT INDEXES UNSAFE FOR ELDERLY AND THE VERY YOUNG. ADDITIONALLY; 1 HR AFTER TKOF TEMPS IN THE AFT CABIN WERE STILL ABOVE 90 DEGS F. 2 HRS AFTER TKOF TEMPS IN THE AFT CABIN WERE STILL ABOVE 80 DEGS F. WE HAD MANY; MANY RPTS FROM FLT ATTENDANTS AS TO PAX COMPLAINING OF EXTREME DISCOMFORT. 1 FLT ATTENDANT RPT MENTIONED THE PAX WERE BECOMING SLIGHTLY 'HOSTILE.' AS BAD AS THINGS WERE IN THE CABIN; THE HOTTEST LOCATION IN THE B747 IS IN THE COCKPIT AND WE HAD TEMPS ALSO IN THE UPPER 90'S DURING ALL OF OUR GND OPS AND TKOF. DESPITE WHATEVER LEVEL OF PHYSICAL FITNESS A PLT POSSESSES; PROLONGED TEMPS LIKE THESE WILL DEGRADE PERFORMANCE. 2 PACK OPS IN A B747 SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED IN ANYTHING BUT THE COLDEST MONTHS OF THE YR. THIS ACFT WAS NOT FIXED WHILE IN ZZZZ AND ZZZZ HAD NO GND AIR AVAILABLE. I'D ASSUME CONDITIONS THERE WERE SIMILAR ON TAXI OUT FOR THE ZZZZ CREW AND PAX AS WHAT WE EXPERIENCED. AND AS A NON-SAFETY RELATED ASIDE; WE'VE JUST GIVEN OVER 300 PEOPLE A VERY GOOD REASON TO AVOID AT ALL COSTS FLYING OUR AIRLINE EVER AGAIN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.