B737-800
Flight Attendant Current
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural MEL / CDL; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury; Ground Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Returned To Gate; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; MEL; Procedure; Weather
During taxi out the APU on the aircraft failed with only one engine running. We then returned to the gate and the captain requested all passengers deplane while we waited for the MEL for the APU because the cabin temperature was becoming extremely unsafe. An air cart was attached to the aircraft because the bridge air was not cooling the aircraft; but this did not make a significant impact on the cabin temperature. We reboarded the aircraft and pushed back; but due to the remnants of Tropical Storm Name; there were significant departure delays and we need up with a 64 minute taxi-out. After we were airborne FA4 asked the Captain what the cabin temperature reached while we were waiting for departure and was informed that the cabin reached 96 degrees F. We were not re-catered with water or ice as requested and this made a significant impact on our service once airborne.Perform an aircraft swap if an APU goes INOP during the summer months. It is completely unacceptable and unsafe to expect passengers and crew to endure temperatures that high.
Flight Attendant reported a gate return due to APU failure which resulted in deplaning the passengers due to extreme temperatures; with the cabin temp going as high as 96 degrees F.