Extreme heat cancels some flights out of Palm Springs International Airport

#Local: Flights to #Phoenix out of #PalmSprings International Airport cancelled due to the extreme heat in both cities. @KESQ @LocalTwo pic.twitter.com/WBeCokzWIB

— Katie Widner CBSL2 (@KWidnerCBSL2) June 20, 2017

Local flights to Phoenix out of Palm Springs International Airport were canceled Tuesday due to extreme heat in both cities. KESQ and CBS Local 2’s Katie Widner spoke to airport administrators to find out more information.

Read: Palm Springs ties daily high record of 122 degrees!

American canceled more than four dozen flights in and out of Phoenix Monday due to operational concerns over extremely high temperatures. It wasn’t immediately clear how many of those flights were to or from Palm Springs.

At least one flight from Phoenix to Palm Springs made it out of the Arizona airport Tuesday morning, but as temperatures were expected to soar later in the day, two afternoon flights — at 1:30 p.m. and 3:10 p.m. — were already canceled.

That morning flight was delayed more than an hour, but heat may not have played a role as a disabled aircraft was slowing operations at Phoenix Sky Harbor airport. Four flights to Phoenix from Palm Springs were canceled.

A high of 121 degrees was expected in Palm Springs this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service, while a regional heat wave was not expected to die down until Thursday.

Whether temperatures in the Coachella Valley would lead to any other canceled flights was up to individual airlines, said Tom Nolan, the airport’s executive director.

“The airport is open and operational,” he told KESQ and CBS Local 2’s Katie Widner. “Any delays are incumbent on the airlines.”

Nolan said travelers should contact their airlines before heading to the airport to confirm flight information.

American Airlines, which began notifying customers over the weekend of expected cancellations, said that travelers would have the option of rebooking their flights or receiving full refunds.

According to an American Airlines statement, the maximum operating temperature for certain smaller, regional aircraft was expected to be reached during the day, leading to the cancellations. Regional aircraft are used
between Phoenix and Palm Springs.

Larger aircraft can operate at higher temperatures.

American spokesperson Ross Feinstein told the Washington Post that heat- related cancellations could be expected throughout the week. He said each aircraft manufacturer sets it own maximum operating
temperatures.

Only American had canceled flights in and out of Phoenix. Nolan said only American flights were affected at Palm Springs airport.

Nolan also told Katie Widner that there is a misperception for many people that the pavement of the runway gets soft due to the extreme heat, but that’s not the case. The pavement remains hard and planes still have the ability to land, but the extreme heat is considered a challenge for some airlines, Nolan said.

Again, if you haven’t heard anything about your flight being canceled, Nolan said you should check with your airline to confirm if your flight has been impacted by the extreme heat wave.

How hot is it going to get today? Check your First Alert Weather Forecast for the Coachella Valley

We’ll have updates throughout the day as airline officials update the status of the canceled flights. You can watch Katie’s full report on KESQ News Channel 3 at 5 p.m. and on CBS Local 2 at 5:30 p.m.

Check out departures/canceled flights at Palm Springs international Airport

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