SHIVERING United Airlines passengers were stuck on the tarmac for 16 hours in -29C weather as the plane door froze shut after an emergency landing in Canada.

Among the 250 passengers, the chill, extended wait, and lack of food reportedly set tempers flaring.

Sonjay Dutt, a professional wrestler en route to Hong Kong for a show, told CBC the temperatures on the plane quickly reached “uncomfortable levels”.

The spare blankets the crew handed out didn’t appease the stranded passengers, and poor communication reportedly only inflamed tempers more.

Passengers had been told at the start that a rescue flight was inbound, Dutt said, to return them to Newark.

Nothing arrived, and the next update didn't come until five hours later.

Food and water also ran low, until at the 10-hour mark, officials delivered Tim Hortons to starving travellers.

I think people are so fed up, and so at their wits' end, that even the sight of food didn't get everyone up and cheering.

Dutt said: "I think people are so fed up, and so at their wits' end, that even the sight of food didn't get everyone up and cheering."

Passengers couldn’t even leave the craft because customs officers were not available overnight, United said.

It was only after a wait of roughly 16 hours on Sunday that a rescue plane touched down.

CNN reported Lloyd Slade, another passenger, saying passengers were "just very tired, at this point".

In a statement to CBC News, the airline says United Flight 179 travelling from Newark to Hong Kong was originally diverted to Goose Bay, Canada, due to a medical emergency.

Medics met the plane and brought the passenger to hospital, but then a mechanical issue prevented the plane from taking off.

A Twitter account appeared Sunday morning poking fun at the situation.

The user, Save United 179, tweeted: "On this week's epsiode (sic) of United 179, will the stranded 260 passengers have to switch planes in negative 29 degree weather OR can they fix the door? .... TUNE IN TOMORROW NIGHT TO FIND OUT!" @united #UA179

United said it apologises to its customers and would do everything possible to assist them during the delay.