American Airlines Unveils Controversial Fuel Plan

Paul

Veteran
Nov 15, 2005
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American Airlines, still struggling to turn a profit, recently came up with a new cost-cutting measure that would reduce the amount of fuel its planes carry on flights.

The plan could save the airline $15 million per year, according to company officials, and has gained approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. One industry expert and former commercial pilot, however, raised safety concerns over the plan.

Historically, the FAA has required airlines to list alternate destinations and carry extra fuel on each flight during bad-weather days. The contingency plans were implemented in case a flight had to be diverted.

The requirement cost airlines significant amounts of money for extra fuel. American Capt. Steve Chealander said the additional fuel costs were unnecessary because weather technology has improved since the FAA set the requirement.

NBC5i
 
Sound's like a set up to a diaster to me. Carrying extra fuel for a deversion in case you can't land at your intended destination is one of the basics of aviation safety. The pilot's better hope that they don't develope a leak or the microbe's in the tanks didn't tell them the wrong fuel load. I see "SLEAZY SAMMY" is starting to take precedence over "SAMMY SAFETY" at AA. All this just so Garton and gang can double their "bonus".
 
Might want to fix the 80's first...

FORT WORTH - American Airlines is checking the fuel systems in its entire fleet of Boeing MD-80 aircraft, after a mysterious spate of incidents in which cockpit gauges showed the wrong amount of fuel on board.

The source of the problem remains a puzzle, airline officials say. It appears to stem from an increase in microbes growing in fuel tanks. Those particles can affect the probes that tell pilots how much fuel is on board.
"Everybody has their theory about why this is coming up right now," said Don Dillman, an American pilot who is also managing director of flight operations. "We still don't know for sure."

American officials say that their airplanes remain safe, pointing out that all flights carry a fuel reserve far in excess of the reported discrepancies. Still, the problem has been a major headache for the airline's maintenance department, which, according to one internal report, has been working "around the clock" on the issue.

It also demonstrates the increasing challenges American faces in maintaining its fleet of airplanes as it ages. The airline has deferred or canceled many aircraft purchases in recent years to save money, and plans to buy only two new airplanes before 2013.