Originally Posted by
Alpine Flyer
It is interesting that this comes wrapped in green. It's of course easier to authorise reduced fuel reserves than to introduce free-route "direct to" airspace over all of Europe (which works great where it is implemented already).
The trouble with statistical analysis is that single events don't really show up in averages and that the single runway closure described above will have everyone heading for the closest alternate (filed for lowest alternate fuel) which will be overwhelmed as well. That could possibly be alleviated by a kind of filing cap for alternates not allowing all carriers operating under reduced reserve/contingency fuel schemes to select the same alternate (a kind of "slot" for your alternate).
Have long wondered why they don't do this. And as usual they don't have an answer for this common challenge. A diversion from one of the Balearic islands a few years ago resulted in someone landing with 750Kg in an A321. The reason was congestion enroute to and at the alternate. The traffic from 2 airfields was diverting to just one due to weather. The extra 800Kg taken for weather was not enough on the day.
Last edited by RudderTrimZero; 18th Apr 2022 at 08:39.