LAX-to-Vegas flight turns into hours-long ordeal

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- They're calling it the flight from hell. Passengers heading to Las Vegas from L.A. say what was supposed to be a 45-minute flight turned into an hours-long ordeal at Los Angeles International Airport.

"We sat on the runway for five hours in baking heat and they ran out of water," said passenger Gem Tootill.

Passengers say the flight attendants disappeared and they couldn't get any information about the delay.

An American Airlines spokesperson says the reason for the delay was an air traffic control hold due to heavy rain and flooding in Las Vegas.

The spokesperson said the plane was on the tarmac for two hours -- not five, which is what passengers are claiming. The airline said the plane was brought back to the gate so passengers could get off and wait, but that's not what people on board said happened.

"When we got back to the gate, they said that if we got off we would not be able to get back on. Then they decided we could get off, but by that time, we only had half an hour so we decided to stay on," said Tootill.