411A said:
If European airlines operated in accordance with regulations in the USA, a proper licensed and qualified DISPATCHER would have a legal say in the matter as well, as to how much fuel the aircraft departed with.
What you are saying is degrading the status of the COMMANDER of the operation. Scenario: sitting in the hold at destination with 45 min holding delays due unforecast heavy snow and the US captain has to ACARS/SATCOM for instructions? What a cr*p solution to a lack of airmanship. There is no substitute for route knowledge and a healthy degree of pessimism. The flight plans produced are the MINIMUM fuel required, I always try to think of reasons why I may need more, be it unrealistic div fuels or whatever. Having said that, I usually find no reason to take more than an extra 10 mins worth into LHR unless weather is bad.
What does a DISPATCHER bring to this decision that statistical data does not? He is not in the aircraft, his health is not on the line. Dispatchers (as per US) are not relevant nor are they useful in the modern age. We all have access via ACARS to all the MET data we need even in mid-oceanic flight - what exactly do US dispatchers add in value terms. 411A could you please tell us all here?