MIDLAND  A plugged air-conditioner line caused a Southwest Airlines 737 jetliner to divert to Midland International Airport on Wednesday afternoon.

Brian McMurrey, customer service supervisor for Southwest Airlines, said the plane was grounded when fumes began filling the passenger cabin of the airplane.

The problem developed in the planes filtration system, prompting the diversion to Midland about 12:50 p.m., McMurrey said.

"It had a stopped-up line in the air-conditioning system, which causes the air conditioner to run," he said.

Don Shepley, airport operations control center supervisor for MAF, said officials at the airport announced an emergency landing of Flight 329 at 12:41 p.m. for precautionary reasons.

Passengers were unloaded and placed on another jet that left about 1:30 p.m. and continued on to El Paso, McMurrey said.

The diverted plane took off from El Paso with passengers headed back to Dallas and then to Houston, he said

http://www.oaoa.com/news/nw072000a.htm

-- Doris (reaper1@mindspring.com), July 20, 2000