Summer heat causes soda cans to explode on Southwest flights

High summer temperatures in parts of the United States cause a side effect at 30,000 feet — exploding soda cans on Southwest Airlines flights.

So far this summer, at least 20 American Airlines flight attendants have been injured by cans of soda that exploded as they were being opened. American Airlines, which confirmed the problem to The Washington Post, believes the cans got too hot before they were loaded onto the flights.

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Since Southwest Airlines doesn’t serve meals or perishable foods, it doesn’t use refrigerated trucks, unlike other airlines, which means that soft drinks stored at airports get hot on very hot days.

“We are aware of the issue and have begun taking steps to try to mitigate it,” said Chris Perry, a spokesman for Southwest Airlines.

The summer has produced record-breaking heat and extreme temperatures in parts of the country, with heat waves caused by climate change occurring around the world. Nearly a dozen cities in the southwestern United States set or broke temperature records last month as a heat dome began, prompting heat warnings across the region. Las Vegas and Phoenix have regularly reached triple-digit temperatures this summer, with record-breaking heat.

Southwest’s soda problems have primarily occurred in those cities, along with a few others that typically experience hot days. In addition to Las Vegas and Phoenix, the airline is working to address soda storage issues in Dallas, Austin, Houston and Sacramento.

“Airports where we have a significant presence – such as Las Vegas, Phoenix and several airports in Texas – continue to experience record-breaking temperatures, with extreme heat arriving early and continuing throughout the summer,” Perry said. “For the safety of our employees and customers, we are taking educational and mitigation measures regarding all heat-related risks.”

Southwest has instructed ground crews to digitally measure the temperature of soda cans before they are loaded onto a departing flight, and flight attendants have been instructed not to open cans that appear deformed. The airline is also testing some air-conditioned trucks in Las Vegas.

Although exploding soda cans have been a problem in past years, the airline has seen an increase in reports this year. The airline could not say how often this happens.

No injuries were reported among passengers. The airline did not provide information on the nature of the injuries sustained by the flight attendants. The Southwest Flight Attendants Union did not respond to a request from The Washington Post on Thursday.

The soda problem comes as consumer travel demand is at an all-time high, due in part to new travel flexibility for remote workers. The Transportation Security Administration reported a record number of passenger screenings last month. On July 7, the TSA counted more than 3 million passenger screenings in a single day, shattering the record of fewer than 3 million set two weeks earlier on June 23.

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Kelsey Baker contributed to this report.

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