Well done, 1stspotter - a new thread needed. I think AD and indeed the world may be surprised to hear that the policy is common across many major airlines. Reduction of 'contingency fuel' below the traditional 5% on a statistical basis (as KLM appears - see 'Dutch TV' thread) came into play in BA in my time (up to 2004).
KLM is not doing this... You misunderstand
This was written:
The 16 minutes is not a percentage of the flightplan fuel.
It is the average (90 % or 99%) of the delays in the previous months.
So in a month with lots of delays due to wx for instance, the cont fuel will reflect those delays and can even be 30 min.
In slow months, with no delays, it goes down to the minimum of 5 minutes.
You wrote:
In my day, BA went completely 'statistical' on contingency and were often around 3% - with plogs worked on destination and arrival time. I do not recall them ever exceeding 5%.
Clearly KLM takes more then 5% based on statistics, they add the statistical delay fuel on top of the minimum contingency of 5 minutes or 5% of trip fuel. In accordance with normal EUops rules.
KLM gives information on how much the kneejerk extra fuel should be based on statistics and dictates this amount on the crew by adding it in the blockfuel through contingency fuel, but does the name really matter?
Regarding BA taking less then 5% of trip fuel... my ops manual states this about reduced contingency
Reduction of Contingency Fuel by the Use of 3% ERA
Not less than 3% or 5 minutes, which ever is greater, of the planned Trip Fuel or in the event of in flight replanning, 3% of the Trip Fuel for the remainder of the flight, provided that an en-route alternate is available in accordance with the diagram below. The en-route alternate should be located within a circle having a radius equal to 20% of the total flight plan distance, the centre of which lies on the planned route at a distance from the destination of 25% of the total flight plan distance, or at 20% of the total flight plan distance plus 50 NM, whichever is the greater; as illustrated below.
Does BA do this on a regular basis? And how does taking less then the minimum eu-ops dictated 5minutes /5% of trip involve statistics?
Again BOAC, learn to read! BA is not the worlds envy you know...