British Airways removes 20 passengers from flight due to 'extreme heat' 

British Airways was compelled to remove twenty passengers from a London-bound flight departing from Florence's Amerigo Vespucci Airport earlier this month after extreme heat conditions rendered the aircraft too heavy for safe takeoff.

The Embraer ERJ-190 aircraft required additional fuel to achieve proper cruising altitude amid 35°C temperatures, but the increased fuel load exceeded weight limitations for the airport's relatively short 5,118-foot runway.

According to passenger accounts, staff initially sought thirty-six volunteers to disembark but ultimately removed twenty individuals before pumping extra fuel onto the aircraft. The combination of reduced air density during high temperatures and the runway length—less than half the size of Gatwick's runway—created unusual operational challenges that required weight reduction measures.

A British Airways spokesperson explained: "Due to the unique nature of the airfield with a short runway, extreme temperatures affect air pressure, so aircraft weight must be reduced." The airline apologized for the inconvenience and emphasized that teams worked to reaccommodate affected passengers promptly.