Ryan Air Question Re: Low Fuel

[mikeymike99]

Just seen the programme in which it seems Ryan Air planes fly with the minimum amount of fuel to save money. This can be dangerous if, for example, planes are diverted. But I can't understand why having extra fuel costs any more. If they have too much fuel for one journey, they just have to put less fuel in the plane for the following one. Unless carrying the weight of the fuel makes it expensive. Could someone explain.

[237SJ]

Can`t do clickies but here`s the url -

www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/malaysia-airlines-low-fuel-danger-spans-two-years-51332/

[EDDIE51]

237SJ yes, they have sufficient of a 'go around' or two and for a diversion but that does not mean they fill the tanks 100% full . No aircraft carries more fuel than they have to, it is just plain economics.
The only time an aircraft may fill the tanks 100% if it is not necessary is if they are in a location where fuel is so cheap it saves more on price than it costs to carry the extra fuel, some Middle East locations have fuel so cheap that they fill up as much as possible.
There is another side to this question, the biggest risk in a crash is fire, and the more fuel on board the higher the risk and the more intense the possible fire, another reason why they fly with the minimum fuel needed .
I lived and worked in Saudi Arabia for 3 years, that is one place where fuel is so cheap aircraft fill to capacity, I actually tested the fuel for Dhahran airport every day among other jobs in the lab. Jet fuel in Saudi was 14 pence a gallon at the time so you can see why they filled up. Petrol was cheap as well 18 pence a gallon.

[237SJ]

No, they don`t necessarily fill the tanks. There are written fuel figures for routes and weather, load etc are taken into account. If there is a problem with weather at the destination (ie fog at Delhi), the diversion airport will already be worked out at London and fuel for that will be on as well as for anything unexpected.

[grasscarp]

The fuel is calculated for the route on the day plus fuel to get from the destination to the alternate (every time, not just if the weather at destination is iffy). There is also extra fuel for holding and there is contingency fuel which is usually 5% of the trip fuel. Captain does have final say if he/she deems it prudent to take any extra on top of the above figures. Flight planning is my day job and has been for 25 years.

[EDDIE51]

I think we can agree that in this case it is general to all airlines and not just Ryanair. Ryanair love this type of discussion they have a company policy that 'there is no such thing as bad publicity'

[DTCwordfan]

Mikey - each plane has an onboard programme that inputs the variables such as passenger weight, freight weight and then the distance, wind conditions, cost of the fuel and filling charges at airports on route and then optimises the quantity to be flown over the different legs - so on some they go low and some they pay the charge of flying fuel out to the expensive airport.......

Also built in is the safety factor and no airline compromises on that....never mind the implications and costs of legal cases if something happened, IATA would also screw them for major fines.

[TWR]

I hope Cathay pacific dont fly with this in mind, I'm off to Hong Kong in 4 weeks, I let you know if I make it. Tora Tora, I've travelled a few miles in my life, but never seen a "Lay By" up there yet.