No disrespect here, but you're just not getting it. They carried what they felt they needed. According to the info available. The pilots didn't f#ck up, they made the best of a bad situation. I look forward to the conversation when you attempt to interrogate me at the gate about how much fuel I might or might not carry.
Contrary to your opinion, the great majority don't give a flying rats arse as long as the ticket is cheap, and they don't die. Most don't even know what kind of a/c they are on! And, just so you know, VA send the 737 to MIA whenever the E Jet is u/s. As such it's a semi regular visitor. That bother you too?
An edit just to address another of your points. The company CANNOT vary any flight legal fuel. The Captain can take more than the recommended plan, If he feels it is necessary. Perhaps you need to read a little more some of the replies addressing these issues earlier in the thread.
Last thing. Sometimes you just can't carry much more. Example. Back of ciggy packet figures. 5.4 to get to ADL. 3.0 to get to MEL. 2.2 for 1 hr hold at MEL. (req for Wx, clearing at 2300?) 2.0 landing. (company 1 hr). So, 12.6t so far. No variable or anything else on it. EZFW is 59.9. (full a/c) TOW minimum 72.5 Burn off 5.4 then LW at ADL is 67.1. No probs. OOPS! MLW 66.3. I'm not suggesting this calculation represents what happened. I'm trying to give you the idea that it isn't fill er up like some seem to think. It's a whole lot more complex than fuel management in GA a/c dude.
Last edited by porch monkey; 20th Jul 2013 at 10:46.