American Airlines had to cancel almost 50 flights on Tuesday due to an extreme heatwave.
According to a statement from American Airlines, the American Eagle regional flights uses the Bombardier CRJ aircraft, which has a maximum speed of 118 degrees. But with temperatures reaching 120 degrees in Phoenix on Tuesday, the airline had no choice but to reschedule flights arriving or departing the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The flights affected were those scheduled to take off between 3 pm and 6 pm.
For passengers affected by the cancellation, which is expected to span over one day, the airline is allowing them to reschedule flights free of cost. In a statement, the airline says, “Extreme heat, which is forecast to impact Phoenix June 19-21, may affect your upcoming travel plans. If your flight is scheduled to arrive and/or depart Phoenix June 19-21 between 3 p.m and 6 p.m, we are offering flexibility that will allow you to change your travel plans without a fee.” The statement also advises passengers to connect via different cities to avoid disruption to their travel plans and to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
Extreme heat affects a plane’s ability to take off. Being that hot air is less dense than cold air, the hotter the temperature the more speed a plane needs to take off. And many airports do not have long enough runways to accommodate such extra speed.
For further clarification on why extreme heats affect take off Patrick Smith, airline pilot, blogger, and author of Cockpit Confidential, wrote, “This affects the output of the engines as well as aerodynamic capabilities, increasing the required runway distance and reducing climb performance. Therefore the amount of passengers and cargo a plane can carry are often restricted when temps are very high.”
“How much so depends on the temperature, airport elevation and the length of the available runways. And getting off the ground is only part of it: once airborne, planes have to meet specific, engine-out climb criterion, so nearby obstructions like hills and towers are another complication.,” he continued.
Larger jets that fly out of Sky Harbor that are made from manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus have higher maximum operating temperatures, which allows their aircraft to fly at temperatures as high as 126-127 degrees.
This is not the first time flights had to be grounded in Phoenix due to soaring temperatures. In 2013, US Airways had to cancel 18 flights leaving Phoenix due to temperatures reaching 119 degrees. In 1990, the same issue occurred. In June of that year, Phoenix reached a record-setting high temperature of 122 degrees, which also grounded some airlines for the day.
With climate change becoming a more prominent issue, these type of events may just become more common.
