Yep, what a knob who said that!
Apparently it can be changed with the flick of a switch and I told him when you flick that switch then we can talk some more, but in the meantime, if I keep getting flight plans that have me arriving with 1900 kgs (the trigger for the “Low fuel” on the 737), I will keep copies of those flight plans which can then be used as evidence that we are being planned into a non-normal situation. (Illumination of Low fuel requires a QRH checklist)
And as for the Captain who is renowned for regularly getting around on minimum fuel, thinking that he’s saving the company money, here’s some food for thought.
I carry about a tonne above flight plan between say Melbourne and Sydney with a delta burn cost to the company of around $60.
The fuel saving Captain on the other hand has such a bad reputation for taking bare minimum fuel that his rostered F.O.’s won’t even turn up for work so the company has to draft F.O.’s which costs around $700.
Interesting story -
Pacific Islands require an Alt anyway regardless of WX when operating out of Oz, one would have to be crazy not to with all the single Rwy dromes out there wth lots of small A/C flying in and out not to mention lighting as well!
Command decision making and or airmanship is something that can't be read in some book..................