Summer Heat Hurts Flights

The heat is on, so says Glenn Frey – and it’s grounding flights and causing bumpy rides.

American Airlines has had a tough time in the past few days. Heat indexes were so high in Phoenix that more than 40 flights were cancelled – smaller jets were unable to take off because the heat made the air so thin that they couldn’t lift off. Temperatures reached about 120 degrees, and Ross Feinstein, an American spokesperson, noted that after about 118 degrees, smaller planes can’t take off or land. American responded to the flight cancellations by allowing passengers with flights scheduled during the hottest part of the day (between 3 and 6 p.m.) to change their flights In the end, more than 350 flights were affected.

“We tend to ignore the atmosphere and just think that the plane is flying through empty space, but of course, it’s not,” Dr. Paul D. Williams, a meteorology professor at the University of Reading in Britain, told The New York Times. “Airplanes do not fly through a vacuum. The atmosphere is being modified by climate change.”

Researchers expect this to become more commonplace due to climate change; something they also say can make flights more turbulent. This is because as the temperature in the air warms, the jet streams become more intense, which leads to a bumpier flight. Dr. Williams notes that even if there are no storms, turbulence could increase. Flights heading east take more advantage of the jet stream, so they will be affected more.

Flight captains are noticing the change, as well. Laura Einsetler, a domestic airline captain, confirmed that with The New York Times: “We always used to course-deviate, but it didn’t feel like this type of anger in the world with global climate change. It definitely feels like we need to be more on our toes.”

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