Rising temperatures could delay more flights

LAS VEGAS (AP) — 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 is well known at airports in desert climates around the world, from the U.S. Southwest to the Middle East. But even less extreme heat can create similar challenges at airports with higher elevations or shorter runways. Researchers say human-caused climate change could make such disruptions more common.

With heat waves searing parts of the United States and Europe this summer, Las Vegas illustrated how extreme heat can interfere with air travel. American Airlines offered compensation to customers who voluntarily gave up their seats on a July 24 flight from Harry Reid International Airport after temperatures reached 114 degrees Fahrenheit (47 degrees Celsius).

The airline described reducing a plane’s weight as a standard industry practice in hot-weather destinations when conditions require it to ensure a safe takeoff. The explanation comes down to physics.

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, explained Ross Aimer, a retired United Airlines captain and CEO of Aero Consulting Experts.

“There is a science behind all this,” Aimer said. “You can’t deny the science of flight and what it takes for an airplane to operate.”

Airplanes struggle in hot, thin air

Aimer likens the effect of high temperatures on airplane performance to athletes competing at high altitude. During this year’s World Cup, foreign teams competing in Mexico City — located more than 7,300 feet (2,225 meters) above sea level — had to contend with thinner air that can........

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