Airline passengers often expect flight delays due to thunderstorms, heavy snow, or strong winds. Yet, even on clear summer days, extreme heat can disrupt flights and travel plans. Hot temperatures result in thinner air, making it difficult for aircraft to achieve safe lift-off. Airlines may need to reduce weight by removing passengers or cargo, or carrying less fuel to ensure safety.
This issue is prevalent in airports located in desert climates, such as the U.S. Southwest or the Middle East. However, higher elevations or shorter runways can also face challenges during hot weather, even if the temperatures aren’t extremely high. Research indicates that human-driven climate change might make these disruptions more frequent.
Las Vegas experienced this issue over the summer when temperatures soared to 114 degrees Fahrenheit (47 degrees Celsius). American Airlines offered compensation to passengers who gave up seats on a July flight at Harry Reid International Airport due to weight restrictions. Reducing a plane’s weight is a standard practice in hot destinations to ensure a safe takeoff.
“Hot air is thinner than cool air, making it harder for a plane’s wings to generate lift and for jet engines to generate the thrust needed for takeoff,” explains Ross Aimer, a retired United Airlines captain and CEO of Aero Consulting Experts.
High temperatures affect airplane performance similar to how they affect athletes at high altitudes. During the World Cup, foreign teams in Mexico City contended with thinner air due to its elevation over 7,300 feet (2,225 meters).
Pilots and airlines calculate whether an aircraft can safely take off by considering factors like the plane’s weight, airport elevation, and outside temperature. Airports at higher elevations, such as Denver over 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) above sea level, operate in thinner air, so temperatures don’t need to be as high to affect takeoff.
Runway length is crucial because aircraft need room to gain speed for takeoff in hot weather. Shorter runways at airports like New York’s LaGuardia and Washington’s Reagan National can pose limitations during extreme heat.
If calculations show unsafe departure, airlines might reduce cargo, carry less fuel, wait for cooler temperatures, or ask passengers to volunteer for later flights. When necessary, removing weight may still not allow for a safe takeoff.
“At some point, the numbers just don’t make sense,” said Aimer.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) doesn’t set a maximum takeoff temperature. Instead, limits vary based on aircraft models, weight, and the airport’s altitude. A 2017 study demonstrated that airports with shorter runways, higher elevations, and hotter climates may face increasing weight restrictions due to emissions.
Current climate models show flights from four European airports will likely have to reduce weight equivalent to 10 passengers per flight by 2065. Triple-digit temperatures are frequent in desert cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has averaged 43 days since 2020 where temperatures reach at least 110 F (43 C). This is over triple the mid-century average. Las Vegas’ airport has similar trends with 18 days a year reaching that threshold between 2020 and 2025.
Palm Springs International Airport in Southern California saw an 83% increase in similar days this decade compared to the 2000s. Airlines like American and Delta have experienced forced cancellations and passenger modifications due to extreme heat in recent years.
Airports are susceptible to the urban heat island effect due to vast heat-absorbing pavements and activity generating waste heat. According to Jennifer Brady, a data scientist with Climate Central, airports can be one of the hottest spaces in a city.
Wildeman reported from Hartford, Connecticut.
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