Extreme Heat Affects Some Airline Flights, Workers

Extreme heat around the nation is affecting some flights departing from airports including Salt Lake City, Las Vegas and Phoenix, which have had triple-digit temperatures this week.

High temperatures reduce air density, which can mean aircraft must be lighter to get off the ground safely – especially at airports at high altitudes that already have lower air density as a result.

That affects aircraft “weight and balance” calculations. In extreme cases, some airlines may have to delay takeoffs, and offload passengers or cargo from smaller aircraft.

A 2021 study by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign looking at rising temperatures and predictions for airlines’ heat-related expenditures in 2035 and 2050 found that airlines’ aircraft and passenger costs could increase 29% to 49% on average.

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines has a hub in Salt Lake City that is affected by extreme heat, along with flights departing from Las Vegas and Phoenix.

The airline said to address the issue on its affected flights, less fuel is loaded onto the aircraft, and some longer flights require a fueling stop.

Delta said it also increases baggage handler staffing during heat waves to allow workers to take more frequent breaks.

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