Emirates passengers sit on the ground for 10 hours after diverting

An Emirates Airbus A380 flying from Dubai, UAE (DXB/OMDB) to Shanghai, China (PVG/ZSPD) with 373 passengers had to divert to Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH/ZSHC) due to severe weather blocking its arrival at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Passengers ended up stuck on board the aircraft for over 10 hours without working air conditioning. The situation with Emirates Flight EK302 has caught a lot of attention after travelers shared stories of unbearably hot cabin conditions, long waits to get off the plane, and scarce updates while it sat parked overnight.

Reports say the A380 touched down safely in Hangzhou around 9:00 PM local time on the 22nd of July after thunderstorms disrupted flights at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. While the diversion itself wasn’t out of the ordinary, passengers had to stay on the plane until about 7:30 AM the next day due to delays with border control and airport coordination. Emirates later apologised to those affected, stating that passenger welfare was its top priority throughout the incident.

Reports suggest that Chinese border checks and airport protocols kept the plane’s doors closed until immigration staff arrived several hours later. By around 6:00 AM, passengers were told they’d have to stay on board until border officials wrapped up the required arrangements, with deplaning starting roughly three hours after that. While long ground delays after international diversions are rare, they can happen when airports aren’t equipped to handle an unplanned international arrival outside their usual processes.

Several passengers told local media that cabin temperatures rose significantly during the overnight delay, with one traveler reportedly fainting before receiving assistance. Others criticized the limited amount of drinking water and food and communication during the wait, saying they received few updates about when they would be allowed to leave the aircraft. Although modern airliners can typically maintain cabin ventilation on the ground using auxiliary power units or airport ground equipment, prolonged delays, operational limitations, or equipment issues can affect cabin comfort depending on local circumstances.

Aircraft Information:
Airline: Emirates 

Code: EK/UAE

Aircraft: Airbus A380-861

Registration: A6-EDV

Serial Number: 101

Engines: 4 x GP7270

First Flew: 28th October 2011

Age: 14 Years