Southwest Airlines has invested millions of dollars in an effort to prevent beverage cans from deforming and even exploding in intense, triple-digit summer heat, according to Simple Flying.
"Once it got up to 105, 110, you started hearing the cans. Before you even saw 'em, you could hear 'em deforming," said Jake Stoddard, a Southwest employee responsible for stocking planes with food and beverages, per CBS News. "When it was 115, 120, half your stock would be deformed. So yeah, it was bad."
What's happening?
As average global temperatures rise and scorching summer heat waves become the new normal, the airline industry is developing novel strategies for addressing the impacts these high temps are having on their business.
Some of these measures, such as finding ways to keep exposed outdoor workers cool during long, hot days on the tarmac, have been predictable. Others, less so.
One of the less predictable impacts of rising temps has been exploding cans.
Though it might sound comical, an aluminum can exploding in an enclosed cabin at 30,000 feet of elevation can present a serious safety issue.
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In summer 2024, 20 Southwest flight attendants were injured by exploding beverage cans midflight, Simple Flying reported.
The management of high temperatures has been particularly important for Southwest, which has two of its busiest hubs in a couple of the nation's hottest cities: Phoenix and Las Vegas.
Why do exploding cans matter?
While exploding beverage cans can pose a safety issue, they also are emblematic of the ways in which rising temperatures are making existing challenges worse or creating new problems altogether.
Within the aviation industry, rising temperatures and associated impacts are causing more weather-related delays; rising seas and flooding are affecting access to coastal airports; and higher temperatures are causing more severe in-flight turbulence, according to Climate Central.
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For sure 💯 What's being done about exploding cans?
In an effort to keep beverage cans below 80 degrees, Southwest purchased 60 refrigerated food and beverage trucks for use at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Las Vegas' Harry Reid International Airport, according to Simple Flying.
Additionally, Southwest has begun using temperature guns to ensure that cans stay below that threshold.
The refrigerated trucks also double as cooling stations where employees working outdoors can escape frequent triple-digit temperatures, CBS News reported.
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