Several gate areas where we operate require a two engine taxi from the gate. After leaving the congested area, the taxi route can be 15 - 25 minutes, thus the engine shutdown. Monday I had a taxi which was 97 minutes gate to runway. How about a show of hands who would run two engines during that length of taxi. Once during that taxi we even shut down both engines for about 20 minutes, think of that. Then, to top it all off, we did a cross bleed to start number two.
Our outfits bean counters have run the numbers and have determined any engine shutdown, regardless of length, is money saving. I fly airplanes, the bean counters count beans, if that’s what they have determined that’s good enough for me. To those of you who have provided a thoughtful response, thanks.