How hot weather in changing climate affects airline flights

HOT weather has forced dozens of commercial flights to be cancelled at airports in the American Southwest this summer. This flight-disrupting heat is a warning sign. Climate change is projected to have far-reaching repercussions - including sea level rise inundating cities and shifting weather patterns causing long-term declines in agricultural yields. And there is evidence that it is beginning to affect the take-off performance of commercial aircraft, with potential effects on airline costs.

National and global transportation systems and the economic activity they support have been optimised for the climate in which it all developed: Machines are designed to operate in common temperature ranges, logistical plans depend on historical weather patterns and coastal land development is based on known flood zones. In the aviation sector, airports and aircraft are designed for the weather conditions experienced historically. Because the climate is changing, even fundamental infrastructure elements such as airports and key economic sectors such as air transportation may need to be redesigned and re-engineered.

As scientists focused on the impacts of climate change and extreme weather on human society and natural ecosystems around the world, our research has quantified how extreme heat associated with our warming climate may affect flights around the world. We have found that major airports from New York to Dubai to Bangkok will see more frequent take-off weight restrictions in the coming decades due to increasingly common hot temperatures.