Ronnie
Historically, hanging around making "multiple" approaches in marginal conditions, has on occassions lead to tears. Ergo a policy in many airlines, not to make more than a couple.
If that were the "company thinking" (fuel policy), QF aircraft would be flying around on absolute min. fuel every flight.
If some posters on earlier threads are to be believed, that is exactly the case. (refer to QANTAS Jet Lands In Fog, thread from a couple of months ago.)
Tac On