Global heat records are raising concerns about the temperature air travellers may face while waiting to jet off to their destinations, with one former pilot stressing passengers shouldn’t feel like they’re in a sauna.
Two weeks ago, the Earth set a record for the hottest day on record, which was then broken the very next day.
Hassan Shahidi, president and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation, told Global News that stifling heat can make for an uncomfortable beginning to a trip.
“Some of these temperatures in the cabin can get very hot, especially during the summer season, sometimes going above 100 degrees (Fahrenheit),” he said.
Former pilot Tom Bunn told Global News in an email there is an expectation from passengers.
“Passengers need to know they are not going to be treated to an unwanted sauna,” he wrote.
Some organizations want a regulatory standard put in place for cabin temperatures.
The Association of Flight Attendants, for example, petitioned the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2018, calling for a minimum federal standard of 80 F or 26.7 C during boarding, with a higher limit of 85 F if in-flight entertainment screens are on. The petition is currently being studied by the Department of Transportation.
According to the association, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) currently requires there be no more than a 5 F difference in either direction between cockpit and cabin, “but does not specify an acceptable range in temperatures.”
Under a law signed in May, the U.S. government is required to study the impacts of temperature in the aircraft cabin on both passengers and crew.
The FAA told Global News in an email that airlines are required to provide a comfortable cabin temperature during a tarmac delay, and that, with some exceptions, passengers must be given the option to leave a domestic flight if on the tarmac for three hours or more.
Can there be a temperature standard on airplanes?
Aviation management professor John Gradek told Global News it can be difficult to set a standard because conditions differ where a plane lands. For example, in February, it may be hot Mumbai while it’s very cold in Toronto.
“You deal with the flight crew, you deal with the cabin crew, and you make your point known, and they will adjust the temperature based on what they can or can’t do,” he said. “Putting regulatory approvals and parameters around it is an additional boondoggle that may not be appropriate.”
There are still things people can do to keep things cool, including pulling window shades down or opening up overhead air vents — though depending on the aircraft, that’s not always possible.
Air vents typically cannot be operated on the ground as they require the engine to be on.
The plane can utilize its auxillary power unit (APU) in order for air conditioning to be turned on, however Shahidi said it can pose problems for airlines including a country’s environmental regulations which could come into play given the carbon emissions using an APU can produce.
Where does Canada stand on cabin temperature?
While American organizations are trying to get standards put in place, Canada does have some regulations in place.
Aviation Occupational Health and Safety Regulations set out by the federal government state that “if feasible,” the temperature on board an aircraft shall be maintained at a level no less than 18 C — or 64 F — and no more than 29 C or 84 F.
The Canadian Transportation Agency, like the U.S., also requires airlines give passengers the opportunity to disembark if a plane is delayed on the tarmac at an airport in Canada for three hours.
Global News reached out to Transport Canada for more information on standards around cabin temperature, but did not hear back by publication.
Porter Airlines in a statement to Global News added in addition to following such regulations around heat, airplanes are typically connected to ground power at airports to run systems such as air conditioning, adding that the APU is used to support cooling systems as a “supplementary measure in certain conditions.”
WestJet told Global News that air conditioning is provided at most Canadian airports as part of the airline’s terminal fees, but said its staff also work with airport partners to manage temperature fluctuations. As well, if necessary, delaying boarding until the flight is ready to depart may be done to limit how long passengers spend onboard the aircraft.
Gradek said that while airlines want to get people onboard, it’s unlikely carriers would rush people onto a plane that is too hot, adding that it is up to the airlines to ensure the plane is both not too hot or too cold.
Global News reached out to Air Canada about its temperature standards but did not hear back by publication.