Southwest Airlines is facing a unique climate change problem: exploding soda cans
Southwest Airlines is facing a unique climate change problem: exploding soda cans
Extreme temperatures have caused problems for the beverage service on some Southwest Airlines flights, with hot cans exploding when opened.
AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
There are things we expect from high temperatures, like sweat, increased irritability. There are things, however, that we just don't expect to hear about during a heat wave, like exploding soda cans at cruising altitude. Southwest Airlines told NPR that heat has warped some cans and caused others to burst when opened, and it seems to be unique to Southwest.
The airline doesn't tend to transport the canned drinks in an air-conditioned truck. Plus, the bulk of the airports they fly out of are in cities that have broken temperature records this summer. Flight attendants are told to avoid opening any cans that feel hot or are warped. Maybe that's good advice for all of us, or maybe we should skip the sodas altogether.
(SOUNDBITE OF WALTER WANDERLEY'S "CRICKETS SING FOR ANA MARIA")
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