HOUSTON — Travelers experienced some discomfort at Bush Intercontinental Airport Monday after "unexpected issues" with the air conditioning system, officials said.
Airport officials posted a statement to Twitter after travelers told KHOU 11 News that the terminals were getting warmer.
All terminals were affected and airport officials said it was over 80 degrees in some parts of IAH. They said the issue would not be fixed Monday and was actually noticed on Sunday night.
Officials said they installed temporary chillers to help supplement the main air conditioning unit as crews work on repairs. The chillers will feed into all terminals.
United Airlines put stand-alone AC units in their terminals and the airport said it put about 45 portable AC units in other terminals.
Travelers posted photos of the temporary cooling devices.
Airport officials said they usually strive to keep the terminals at 74 degrees.
The air conditioners were not completely off, but they were not running at full capacity.
Some travelers were upset about it while others weren't affected too badly.
- "I wish it was fixed. I'm, like, sweating," one passenger said.
- "Things happen. What're you going to do? You can't fix it. Mechanical stuff breaks down," another said.
The issues came as Houston braces for record heat this week.
Here's an update provided at IAH on Monday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.
"The air conditioning system at George Bush Intercontinental Airport is currently experiencing unexpected issues, which as reduced the capacity of the air conditioning system. As a result, the temperature inside our airport is affected.
In prioritizing our passengers, we are installing temporary chillers that will supplement the air conditioning system and provide relief while our crews evaluate and expedite the necessary repairs.
Houston Airports is working with airline partners and airport stakeholders to ensure passengers at Bush Airport have access to free bottles of water, should they need it. Inspectors with Houston Airports are also walking all five terminals to monitor the temperature inside the airport.
Please know, Houston Airports is doing everything possible to restore optimal conditions for our passengers."