Airline Apologizes After Multiple Passengers Are Forced off Flight Due to Plane’s Weight Limit

A British Airways flight was forced to remove several passengers before takeoff after the plane became too heavy.

On Aug. 11, the BA Embraer ERJ-190 was scheduled to fly from Florence’s Amerigo Vespucci airport in Italy to London City Airport in England.

However, multiple passengers had to be removed from the jet before takeoff due to “extreme temperatures affecting air pressure,” British Airways said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.

“Due to the unique nature of the airfield with a short runway, extreme temperatures affect air pressure, so aircraft weight must be reduced,” the statement said. “We’re sorry for the inconvenience this caused our customers and our teams worked hard to get them to their destination as quickly as possible.”

Around 20 passengers allegedly disembarked before the flight was able to take off, UK newspaper The Sun reported.

According to the outlet, the extreme heat in Italy at the time had risen to around 35°C (95°F), making the plane “less dense.”

The change in air pressure meant that the jet needed more fuel to reach cruising altitude, adding more weight to the aircraft.

“The pilot said people had to get off because of the extreme heat,” a woman who was removed from the flight told The Sun. “It was around 35 degrees and they needed extra fuel for the engine to run effectively.

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“The staff said 36 would have to be unloaded, but only about 20 people had to get off in the end,” the woman added, per the outlet.

British Airways told PEOPLE that the removed passengers were booked on the next available flight and provided hotel accommodation and transport.

Florence’s Amerigo Vespucci airport did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Sunday, Aug. 24.