Rising temperatures may ground third of airplanes

More frequent heat waves and rising temperatures due to global warming may ground up to a third of airplanes worldwide during hot days in decades to come with some airports in New York and Dubai likely to be hard hit, a study showed on Thursday.

Airlines may increasingly be forced to cut their loads of passengers, cargo or fuel in order to take off safely because warming air lessens the ability of airplane wings to generate lift, according to U.S. researchers.

Worldwide, average temperatures are expected to climb some 5.5 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100, researchers said.

But it is more prevalent heat waves that pose a larger threat to the airline industry, they said in a study published in the journal Climate Change.

During the hottest parts of the day, between 10 and 30 percent of fully loaded planes may have to dump weight in order to begin their journey.

The phenomenon could force the aviation industry to brace for thinner profit margins, the authors said.

A full 160-seat aircraft trying to safely take off in searing heat may, for instance, need to remove 13 passengers, said the study.

Airports likely to be most affected according to the researchers’ appraisal of 19 major airports include New York’s Laguardia, due to short runways, and Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates, because of scorching heat.

Last month, major airlines were forced to delay or cancel dozens of flights from Las Vegas and Phoenix airports, citing difficulty in operating aircraft amid a heat wave.