Passengers stranded for two hours inside Cebu Pac plane

Passengers of a Cebu Pacific flight had to endure over two hours of suffocating heat inside the plane after it suffered technical difficulties while still on the ground, a report by GMA News' John Paul Seniel on "Balita Pilipinas" said Wednesday.

The report, citing the passengers, said the flight crew prevented anybody from disembarking despite the heat as the aircons were turned off.

"Sa sobrang 'di na kaya ng mga bata, naghubaran na yung mga bata sa loob. Tapos mayroon pa doon mga lolo, hindi sila nakakahinga, kaya sinasabihan ng mga tao [ang] flight attendants na pababain na lang kami. Ayaw nila kasi yun daw command ng piloto," said Naser John Rivera, a passenger.

He also said the flight attendants initially told them they would be grounded for just 15 minutes.

The Civil Aeronautics Board, meanwhile, pointed out that deplaning could not be done without the permission of the air traffic control and ground command center of the airport. It also said it is crafting a rule on the length of time passengers should spend inside a grounded plane.

Meanwhile, Cebu Pacific issued an apology for the delay and asked for understanding from the passengers.

"We sincerely regret the inconvenience this has caused our passengers, and hope for their understanding as safety remains our priority," it said in a statement. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News