Recirculation ground maintenance mode

An aircraft air conditioning system includes a lower cooling zone and an upper cooling zone. The lower cooling zone includes a lower recirculation heat exchanger configured to receive cabin air from a cabin and convert the cabin air into lower cooled recirculated cabin air. The upper cooling zone includes an upper recirculation heat exchange configured to receive the cabin air from the cabin and convert the cabin air into upper cooled recirculated cabin air. A power system selectively delivers power to the lower cooling zone and the upper cooling zone. A controller is in signal communication with the power system. The controller determines a target temperature of the cabin and invokes a recirculation ground maintenance mode that commands the power system to deliver power to one or both of the lower cooling zone and the upper cooling zone so that a temperature of the cabin reaches the target temperature.