Extreme Heat Disrupts Air Travel and Elevates Safety Concerns

Passengers expect flight delays during storms or strong winds. However, extreme heat also disrupts flights. On sweltering days, thinner air complicates safe aircraft takeoff. Airlines might have to remove passengers or cargo, or carry less fuel.

This issue affects airports in desert regions globally, like the U.S. Southwest and the Middle East. Even milder heat poses challenges at airports with high elevations or short runways. Researchers warn that climate change could increase such disruptions.

This summer, heat waves affected air travel in parts of the U.S. and Europe. On July 24, temperatures hit 114°F in Las Vegas. American Airlines compensated passengers who gave up seats to reduce plane weight, a standard practice in hot-weather conditions.

Physics of Flight

Hot air lacks the density of cooler air. This makes it harder for plane wings to generate lift and engines to produce enough thrust. Ross Aimer, a retired United Airlines captain, explains that jet engines need cool, dense air to perform well.

Pilots and airlines assess if an aircraft can safely take off by calculating factors like weight, elevation, and outside temperature. Higher elevations already entail thinner air, making takeoff conditions more sensitive to temperature shifts.

Runway and Elevation Impact

Runway length is crucial. Airliners need enough space to gain speed, and shorter runways are problematic in hot weather. Airports like New York’s LaGuardia and Washington’s Reagan National face restrictions or weight limits in extreme heat.

If preflight assessments show unsafe conditions, airlines might reduce cargo, carry less fuel, seek cooler timing, or ask passengers to wait for another flight. When conditions exceed safe parameters, weight reduction may not suffice.

Aimer highlights that takeoff is not possible if calculations do not support it. Airlines have managed these issues for years. For instance, flights in Phoenix were canceled during extreme heat in 2016 and 2017.

Growing Temperature Concerns

There is no set maximum temperature for takeoff from the Federal Aviation Administration. Limits depend on airplane specifics and airport elevation. A study predicts weight restrictions could impact 10% to 30% of flights during hot days by mid-century.

Projected models suggest planes in Europe may reduce the equivalent weight of 10 passengers per flight by 2065. With desert areas like Phoenix and Las Vegas experiencing more days exceeding 110°F in the 2020s, flight delays are becoming more common.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport had 43 annual days above 110°F, a sharp rise from decades before. Las Vegas’s Harry Reid International Airport saw a similar increase. At Palm Springs International Airport, the average reached 55 such days per year in this decade.

Airports contribute to higher temperatures in urban areas due to minimal greenery and extensive heat-absorbing surfaces. This urban heat island effect intensifies conditions, as highlighted by Jennifer Brady, a Climate Central data scientist.

Delta Air Lines requested passenger volunteers to leave a Las Vegas flight during a severe heat warning in 2023. The flight was canceled after enduring prolonged heat conditions.