Flight attendants to start noting heat inside cabins

Starting this month, thousands of flight attendants at airlines around the country will carry thermometers to document extreme temperatures, whether hot or cold, encountered during their shifts.

The data collected will be used to further bolster the push by two of the industry’s largest flight attendant unions to get the federal government to establish standards in cabin temperatures, with a recommended range of 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Such rules could make temperature checks part of the standard preflight checklist, with passengers prevented from boarding planes unless the proper conditions are met.

Last month, the Association of Flight Attendants and Transport Workers Union Local 556, which represents Southwest flight attendants, announced a smartphone app that flight crews and passengers can use to document extreme temperatures. “It leads to fatigue for flight attendants. … It can create incredible discomfort for customers,” said Lyn Montgomery, president of the Southwest flight attendants union.

Airlines have a number of tools to keep aircraft cool while on the ground, including auxiliary power units that drive the plane’s air conditioning systems and the use of preconditioned air pumped onto the plane.

American Airlines said it won’t board an aircraft if the cabin temperature is above 90 degrees.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA filed a petition with the Department of Transportation in July recommending the target temperature range be set at 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, with a maximum allowed temperature of 80 degrees. On aircraft with heat-generating seat-back entertainment systems, the recommended maximum would be 85 degrees.