Fears over holiday flights as expert warns planes can struggle to take off in searing heat

18 July 2023, 16:04

By Connor Hand

@Connor_HandLBC

The heatwave engulfing Europe could result in flight cancellations and Brits being forced to change their flights, a top aviation safety expert has warned.

Captain John Cox, CEO of Safety Operating Systems, who has 25 years' experience as a pilot, told LBC that the searing temperatures sweeping across Central and Southern Europe present significant challenges for an aircraft's ability to take off.

He told LBC: “The heat affects the aeroplane in several ways. Most importantly, hot air is less dense, which means that it does not produce the amount of lift that it does at colder temperatures.

"This can affect the amount of load it can manage, such as the number of passengers and cargo it can carry. It can also affect the performance of the plane, with its ability to climb quickly also be impacted.”

Read more: British tourists warned to 'stay indoors' as heatwave bakes Europe

Read more: Met Office gives verdict on whether UK will hit 40C this summer as Europe bakes

Asked whether this could result in British holidaymakers experiencing cancellations, Captain Cox said: “I believe it’s possible… the operation [at airports] potentially would be curtailed during the hottest part of the day, and then additional flights put in place later in the evening when it is cooler.”

Flight cancellations as a result of extraordinary heat are not unprecedented. In 2017, around 40 flights were prevented from taking off from Phoenix, Arizona, as the 48C heat exceeded the maximum operating temperature for the Bombardier CRJ aircraft used by American Airlines.

Even if cancellations do not occur, however, Captain Cox expressed concern that passengers could face lengthy delays or even be forced onto different flights due to the heat: “A combination of the length of the runway, elevation of the airport and the temperature determines the performance of the aeroplane.

"If you have a short runway on a very hot day, the plane’s ability to carry a full load of passengers would be compromised… In some of the smaller towns, you may see load limits as a result of the temperature.

“Airlines that operate in high temperature places such as the Middle East know from experience when they will have to adjust a departure time until it’s cooler – such as night.

"They’ll also have to limit load: for instance, instead of 200 passengers they will only be able to carry 180.”

Fears of cancellations and delays compound existing concerns that the 45C temperatures are putting Brits off from jetting abroad.

Across Italy and Greece, tourists have fainted and suffered health complications; in the United States, meanwhile, a 73-year-old cyclist was found dead in an Arizona desert as temperatures soared to 44C.

The Charon heatwave is showing no sign of abating, with Italian authorities placing Sardinia at the “epicentre” of next week’s intense temperatures. The heat is expected to continue for several weeks - well into August.