B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 269
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Weather; Procedure; Airport
The winds were gusty out of the north that morning: the ATIS issued about 35 minutes prior to departure stated winds were 330 gusting to 25 knots with Runway 24L in use; which was essentially a pure crosswind and quite legal for departure. We made it to the runway in very short order after push back and taxi out. LAX Tower issued takeoff clearance and reported the winds at 020 gusting to 28 knots. Before commencing the takeoff roll; the Captain asked me to check that wind component; sure enough; the Tower reported winds were beyond takeoff limits with an 18-knot tailwind component. We advised Tower of this; told them we would need Runway 6R for departure; and vacated the runway. As we taxied down to the other end of the runway; a wide body aircraft continued to land on 24R with similar winds. After several minutes the Tower worked us in for the opposite direction takeoff which proceeded uneventfully. Out of curiosity; we retrieved the next hourly ATIS update at LAX to see that they were reporting winds at 030 gusting to 25 knots with Runways 24 and 25 active; a 19-knot tailwind component. As we proceeded eastbound with LA Center; we heard aircraft inbound to LAX asking the Controller about the reported winds and if the Tower had any plans to switch runways. LA Center stated that they did not know of any plans to change runways; and started putting aircraft into holding patterns and asking them about divert options.First off; thank God for a very aware Captain who caught the wind change when our takeoff clearance was issued and had me check it. When I gave him the results; his courage in refusing the takeoff clearance in the heat of the moment was exemplary. It is absolutely unconscionable that LAX Tower refused to turn the airport around despite the very strong tailwind component that had evolved. They worked us out as a one-off opposite-direction departure with the light traffic at that early hour; but it appears that they would not switch the airport around. Even LA Center seemed mystified at why Tower continued to insist on the use of Runways 24 and 25 as they issued holding instructions and discussed diversions with inbound aircraft. I think several aircraft were put into a bad and potentially unsafe situation that morning because LAX Tower put way too much emphasis on maintaining the preferred and more familiar westerly flow despite excessive tailwinds.
B737 First Officer reported an issue with unsuitable takeoff conditions at LAX due to excessive tailwinds.