Parabellum.... hello?? They WANTED the bloody fuel at the other end! They needed a TEMPO or an alternate or something, right? And they couldn't put it, plus flight fuel, plus variable reserve, plus fixed reserve, plus approach allowance, plus X+2 passengers on and be under MTOW in Melbourne! They were going to be about 200kg too heavy ex MEL.
Quickest and cheapest solution? reduce the pax count by 2. So now have all the above fuel (inc the operational reqt) and X passengers. Now they are down to MTOW in MEL and have the full operational requirement at the other end.
Better solution from customer point-of-view? Take less fuel out of MEL, leave extra 2 punters on, lob into AS or DN. Gas up there for the next sector to WADD - less flight fuel, less reserves, can still get pax and operational reqt fuel (Alt, TEMPO, whatever) on!
Disclaimer: I am guessing and making presumptions about the precise circumstances. But it'll be something like this. Nothing to do with being overweight for landing!!
(why am I here!?
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