Why do heatwaves disrupt flight operations?

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Several parts of the world have been gripped by intense heat waves this summer. Countries including France, Spain, Italy, US, Algeria, Tunisia, and Mexico, among others, are facing extreme conditions.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) even declared July as the hottest month. The punishing heat has not only taken a toll on human health, agriculture, and water supplies, but also disrupted flight operations.

How do high temperatures affect flight operations?

According to an aviation news outlet, an aircraft needs to generate lift to take off and fly. When the environment gets too hot, it can affect the flying ability of the plane. The density of air reduces in hot weather, especially in dry climate, due to which planes have to gain more speed on the runway to generate enough lift for takeoff. In other words, hot weather makes an aircraft heavier.

In such cases, bigger and heavier planes, like the Boeing 777, struggle more to take off than lighter ones.

“The basic challenge facing any aircraft as it takes off is that planes are just very heavy, and gravity wants to keep them on the ground,” Paul Williams, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Reading in the UK, told an international media outlet.

He added, "In order to overcome gravity, they need to generate lift, which is the atmosphere pushing the plane up."

Williams explained that the lift depends on several factors, with one of the most important factors being 'the temperature of the air'. And, as the air warms up, it expands so the number of molecules available to push the plane up is reduced.

Delays are expected more during summer than winter due to the heating up of aircrafts.

How flights operate in hot weather

According to an international media outlet, besides delaying or straight away cancelling the flight due to extreme heat, airlines tend to load less fuel and reduce the number of passengers or baggage to make the aircraft lighter for takeoff.

Sometimes, pilots have to wait for the temperature to drop, the report added.

Amid heatwave conditions in some parts of the US, Delta Airlines last month, said in a statement, “Additional protocols have been put in place to address the operational impacts extreme heat has on the aircraft, including loading less fuel to account for weight and balance and schedule refuelling along the route when needed,” reported an international media outlet.