Turns Out It Is the Heat After All

Have you seen what's going on this week, just now, in the Southwest? The weather? The temperatures and forecasts?

American Just Cancelled 43 Flights to Phoenix Because This Place Is a Literal Hellscape

While the headline is more than a bit of hyperbole, the fact is, some jet planes can't handle temperatures over 118 degrees. it's been forecast for Phoenix today to be over that. It's supposed to be 120 degrees there today and 119 tomorrow, Wednesday.

And keep in mind, it's not even July yet, of course, let alone the hottest month of the year down there, August.

Then check this out.  While this has become more common, not that long ago it wasn't like this. The following took place in June, 2013.

Death Valley hit hottest U.S. June temperature ever

The temperature hit 129 for the first time that year.  Now? It's not uncommon.

Then this happened, just last year.

Two Middle East locations hit 129 degrees, hottest ever in Eastern Hemisphere, maybe the world

If a person didn't know any better, you'd think the planet was heating up or something.

Links:

Too hot to fly: Dozens of US flight cancellations due to excessive heat

Canceled flights, burning door handles: Heat hits Southwest

Too Hot to Fly? Climate Change May Take a Toll on Air Travel

Planes, Road Burns And Snakes: 5 Things That Extreme Heat Brings

Airlines making profits--and how that effects you and me

Have you seen, this week, how airlines are finally making profits? Wow. How long has that been? I don't know when the last time was I saw where an airline--other than Southwest--made money. Check it out: Delta, United and US Airways all reported profits. American Airlines, sadly, missed out on the little party--can you imagine the heck that's being raised over there, in their boardrooms? I love this quote from Deseret News: "American parent AMR Corp. lost $10.7 million in the second quarter, a huge improvement over the loss of $390 million in the same period last year. Still, the loss stuck out compared with the combined $1 billion in profits reported by US Airways, Delta Air Lines Inc. and United parent UAL Corp." Ouch. Anyway, the way this effects you and me back down here on Main Street is that this came about in two ways: the airlines have cut capacity so there are fewer seats up there, meaning we'll be more crowded on the planes--and those charges for your bags are definitely not going away. Links to associated posts: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-07-14/delta-may-lead-airlines-profit-with-more-fliers-fewer-seats.html http://www.deseretnews.com/mobile/article/700049978/Airline-profits-up-except-for-American.html

To be sure you know: How you can help Haiti and Haitians

From the US State Department: you can text "HAITI" to "90999" and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts, charged to your cell phone bill.

And this from UPS: UPS is shipping anything under 50lbs for free to Haiti. You can send food clothes or shoes...

and American Airlines is taking doctors and nurses to Haiti for free.

Please call 212-697-9767. Spread the word...Red Cross needs Creole speaking volunteers for a 24hr phone bank. Call Mr. Wilfrid @ 305-776-6900.

Spread the word.