A Qantas A380 flight takes off from Sydney

 

Following the diversion of two Qantas A380 flights last week, an airline insider is claiming that Qantas pilots are being pressured to carry less fuel on the superjumbo jets, a claim the airline strongly denies.

 

Whether the claim is true or not remains to be seen. However, documents obtained from Australia’s Herald Sun seem to suggest that the airline’s A380s are now carrying less discretionary fuel than they were when the fleet was first introduced. Discretionary fuel is fuel carried to account for emergencies like bad weather or long tarmac delays. 

 

According to the paper, the average A380 flight took off with 2502 kg of discretionary fuel in 2009 and landed with 1818kg. By late last year, flights carried 1472kg and landed with just 1088kg.

 

Industry experts seem to agree that those cuts are not a threat to the safety of passengers but could lead to more delays and diversions in the future.

 

Source: Herald Sun

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