Originally Posted by
NWA SLF
Question for those knowledgeable about flight cost.
Flight crew was 4. Reporter on flight was told 1 captain, 1 first officer, and 2 second officers. Story on Flight Global states 2 captains, 1 first officer, 1 second officer. This is same flight crew number I have on Uk to Japan or USA to Asia flights so no diff.
Cabin crew was 12. Reporter on flight said there was no additional crewing for flight.
So crew cost would appear to me to be less than a one stop flight.
Fuel cost - yes, take off has a very large fuel load but there is no fuel used for the intermediate stop. Does it cost more for the original takeoff with beginning cruise at a higher burn rate than it does to make the intermediate stop (remember still carrying fuel reserve for that stop), refuel, and take off again to complete the flight with increased burn rate for climb to cruise altitude.
Remembering a trip I used to make on Delta, Atlanta to Jo'burg. Refueling stop in Dakar on a 767. First crew leaves in Dakar and has a layover. Second crew takes over to complete flight. Two crews required for return flight with return flight 2 days later crewed by the first flight crew. Now Delta makes this flight as a non-stop with a 777.
I assume crewing cost on the non-stop is significantly less. Fuel cost - what do the experts say?
And the flight is Melbourne to London with a stop in Perth so is not dependent only on Perth originating passengers.
A search of PPRuNe will unearth a number of threads where the relative fuel burn of a direct flight vs a tech stop is debated.
Unsurprisingly, the answer will vary with the overall stage length and the relative lengths of the stages before/after the tech stop.