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Rising temperatures could keep more flights from taking off on time
Airlines are removing passengers, cargo or fuel as hotter days reduce lift and thrust, and researchers say some airports could face limits on 10% to 30% of departures.
- On July 24, American Airlines offered compensation to passengers who voluntarily gave up seats on a flight from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas after temperatures reached 114 degrees Fahrenheit, requiring the airline to reduce aircraft weight for safe takeoff.
- Hot air is thinner than cool air, making it harder for aircraft wings to generate lift and engines to produce thrust needed for takeoff, explained Ross Aimer, a retired United Airlines captain and CEO of Aero Consulting Experts.
- Airports are especially vulnerable to the urban heat island effect, where built-up areas become hotter than their surroundings, said Jennifer Brady, a data scientist with Climate Central. With vast heat-absorbing pavement, "all of the elements are there" for extreme airport temperatures, Brady said.
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has averaged 43 days annually since 2020 with temperatures reaching at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit, according to The Associated Press. Southern California's Palm Springs International Airport recorded 55 such days this decade, an 83% increase compared to the 2000s.
- Researchers from Columbia University and NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies project that some airports could see weight restrictions on 10% to 30% of flights during the hottest part of the day by midcentury if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise.
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59 Articles
59 Articles
Extreme Heat Is Making Takeoffs Harder. Now Airlines May Need to Bump Passengers to Keep Flights Safe
After temperatures at one airport hit 114 degrees Fahrenheit, a major carrier asked passengers to give up their seats. It’s a scenario that other travelers may start to face.
·New York, United States
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Rising temperatures could delay more flights
The explanation comes down to physics.
·Washington, United States
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Why Rising Temperatures Could Delay More Flights
Rising temperatures are expected to create increasing challenges for the aviation industry by making aircraft takeoffs more difficult during periods of extreme heat. According to the report, American Airlines recently reduced the weight of a flight departing Las Vegas after temperatures reached 114 degrees Fahrenheit, offering compensation to passengers who volunteered to give up their seats so the aircraft could depart safely.💡The report said …
·United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources59
Leaning Left12Leaning Right7Center38Last UpdatedBias Distribution67% Center
Bias Distribution
- 67% of the sources are Center
67% Center
L 21%
C 67%
12%
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