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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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Airline passengers know to expect possible flight delays when weather forecasts call for thunderstorms, heavy snow or strong wind. The omens are less obvious on a hot summer day with clear skies.Yet extreme heat also disrupts flights and travel plans. On the hottest days, thinner air can make it harder for aircraft to get off the ground safely. Airlines may have to lighten the load by removing passengers or cargo, or carrying less fuel.The snag …
·New York, United States
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Associated Press News+26 Reposted by 26 other sources
Rising temperatures could keep more flights from taking off on time
Clear blue skies don’t always mean smooth flying. Extreme heat also can disrupt flights and travel plans.
·New York, United States
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Total News Sources30
Leaning Left10Leaning Right3Center15Last UpdatedBias Distribution53% Center
Bias Distribution
- 53% of the sources are Center
53% Center
L 36%
C 53%
11%
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