American Airlines has been forced to cancel more than 40 flights in Phoenix due to high daytime temperature (~49°C). Hotter air results in thinner air, which makes it more difficult for planes, especially the smaller jets, to generate enough lift for take-off.
As the global warming worsens, this type of disruptions will likely become more frequent, potentially making air travel costlier and less predictable with a greater risk of injury to travellers from increased turbulence.
Overall, more than 350 flights were potentially affected by the hot weather in Phoenix.
Airports may also be forced to pause operations in wait of cooler air, starting a ripple effect across airline operations while further squeezing airline’s already tight profit margins.
Researchers are just beginning to explore how climate change affects aviation and planes’ ability to fly. Because there is so little data available and so many factors at play, it can be hard to attribute any one service disruption to global warming.
Read more here.
Source: The New York Times, 21 June 2017