A RETURN LAND IN AN MD83 IS MANDATED WHEN THE ACFT BECOMES TOO HOT AFTER A LENGTHY STAY AT THE GATE IN HIGH TEMPS WHICH AFFECTED THE AIR CONDITIONING DUCTS; ACTIVATING A HIGH TAIL CONE TEMP AFTER DEP FROM LAS; NV.

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IT WAS VERY HOT IN LAS. OUTSIDE TEMPS WERE AROUND 110-113 DEGS. WE BOARDED THE ACFT AND WAITED FOR A GND CREW TO PUSH US OUT. CREW WAS NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL AFTER OUR MD80 WAS OVERHEATING. THE CAPT WAS VERY FRUSTRATED; CALLING ON RADIO; THEN YELLING OUT THE WINDOW FOR A PUSH AND TELLING EVERYONE WE WERE CLOSE TO OVERHEATING THE ACFT. I THINK THE ACR X PLANES OVERHEAT EARLIER THAN ACR Y MD80'S; BUT NO ONE ON THE GND SEEMED TO TAKE OUR PLEAS IN EARNEST. BY THE TIME WE GOT A PUSH; DUE APPARENTLY TO THE CAPT HAVING TO GET ON HIS CELL PHONE TO CALL ACR FLT OPS; OUR PLANE WAS CLOSE TO OVERHEATING. THE CABIN WAS VERY HOT AND PAX WERE OVERHEATED. WE TOOK OFF AND FROM MY JUMP SEAT; I COULD TELL WE WERE NOT CONTINUING TO CLB. THE CAPT/COCKPIT CALLED THE #2 FLT ATTENDANT TO ASK HIM TO LOOK THROUGH THE PEEP-HOLE IN THE REAR ENTRY DOOR TO LOOK FOR ANYTHING UNUSUAL. I WAS ON THE INTERPHONE AND KNEW TO BE ALERT FOR SMOKE/FIRE SINCE WE'D BEEN SO CLOSE TO OVERHEATING BEFORE TKOF. THE CAPT EXPLAINED THAT THE OVERHEAT INDICATOR LIGHT FOR THE TAIL CONE HAD NOT GONE OFF AND WE WOULD PROBABLY RETURN TO LAS. HE MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OVER THE PA TELLING THE PAX WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND WHAT WE WOULD DO. THE CAPT TOLD THE FLT ATTENDANTS WE SHOULD EXPECT AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG/TAXI; BUT THE #2 FLT ATTENDANT AND I BOTH REVIEWED OUR EMER PROCS AND I PERFORMED A VERY DETAILED 30 SECOND REVIEW PRIOR TO AND AFTER LNDG. I WAS ALSO ALERT TO ANY UNFAMILIAR SMELLS; IE; SMOKE OR SOUNDS; BUT NONE APPEARED. AT THE GATE; PAX WERE DEPLANED AND MOST WERE REROUTED TO THEIR DESTS. THE MECHS SAID OUR PLANE WAS 'GOING NOWHERE.' WHEN MECHS HAD A SHIFT CHANGE; THE NEW MECH TOLD US IT COULD BE READY IN ABOUT 3 HRS; ALTHOUGH I DON'T THINK IT TOOK THAT LONG. THAT MECH ALSO TOLD US (THE FLT ATTENDANTS) THAT THE PROB; ACCORDING TO MY UNDERSTANDING; WAS THAT THE ACFT GOT SO HOT THAT THE PLASTIC DUCT IN THE TAIL CONE THAT PULLS CABIN AIR OUT FOR CIRCULATION; HAD STARTED TO MELT SHUT. I WAS APPALLED THAT THE GND CREWS WERE NOT MORE AVAILABLE TO HELP US LEAVE THE GATE. APPARENTLY; ACR Y HAS CUT BACK CREWS TOO MUCH AND THIS CAN CAUSE POSSIBLE LIFE-THREATENING SITS.