Why were 200 flights grounded in Phoenix? Extreme heat is only part of the answer

Michael Salerno, Arizona Republic
·2 min read
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More than 200 flights at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport were delayed or canceled on Monday after the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop advisory at 11:16 a.m., citing an unspecified equipment issue.

Ground stops are when planes cannot take off or land at a particular airport, according to the FAA. Follow-up advisories showed American Airlines and Southwest Airlines requested the ground stop.

When asked to specify the equipment issue, the FAA told The Arizona Republic that its Albuquerque center had a “telecommunications issue” that affected operations in Phoenix. That issue has since been resolved.

Breakdowns of the technology that affects airline and FAA operations were one of three things The Arizona Republic reported could cause headaches for air travelers this summer.

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How many Phoenix flights were affected by the ground stop?

Heat shimmer causes visual distortion as Delta Airlines flight DL796 from Atlanta touches down at Sky Harbor International airport.
Heat shimmer causes visual distortion as Delta Airlines flight DL796 from Atlanta touches down at Sky Harbor International airport.

There were 212 delayed flights and nine canceled flights at Sky Harbor as of 2:30 p.m. Monday, according to data from the flight tracking website FlightAware.

Southwest had the most delays with 82 affected flights, while American Airlines had 72. Delta Air Lines and Frontier Airlines also experienced delayed flights in the double digits.

Eight of the nine canceled flights were with American.

Why did American and Southwest Airlines request a ground stop at the Phoenix airport?

Planes at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Planes at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Southwest spokeswoman Laura Swift told The Republic that the airline’s staff worked with the FAA “for a few minutes this afternoon” to plan the sequencing of arriving flights so pilots wouldn’t have to wait long for a gate. She cited extreme heat and how it can affect airplanes’ operating conditions.

“Nine out of 10 Southwest flights arriving into Phoenix today are on time,” Swift said.

American Airlines was not immediately available for comment.

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Reach the reporter at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @salerno_phx.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Why 200 Southwest, American flights were delayed in Phoenix Monday