Evacuation flights - fuel

[Paul Wilson]

Given the situation in Gambia, and the Thomas Cook evacuation flights, I would be interested to know how you plan fuel for these flights.

Is it a case of filling up to the maximum ex-UK? On the basis that you might not know where you would be landing, and even if the landing at Banjul goes OK, you might not be able to get more fuel, and you would therefore/might have enough to take a short hop to where you can get some?

[Shytehawk]

You have the answer.

[B737900er]

Fuel tankering. [SIC]

[Skyjob]

Both answered correct, alternatively make a stop prior to arriving at destination in order to minimise such complexities and possibly be able to return home without a fuel stop.

[737James]

A lot of the Thomas Cook repatriation flights have been operating via Las Palmas in both directions due to quite a few of their aircraft not having the range.

Obviously the long haul fleet is committed to its programmes and I believe that only 5 or 6 of the A321 fleet has the extra fuel pods installed for the longer routes and during the winter they already are scheduled to do the longer sectors to Hurgarda,Cape Verde and planned Banjul

[Chris Scott]

In the extreme case, Dakar-Yoff is close by and, in view of the current politics, the willing co-operation of the Senegalese authorities is as certain as anything can be in Africa.

[Gauges and Dials]

This is now decades ago, but I knew pilots from a major first world carrier who, flying into certain African airports, did not tanker but carried a box full of U.S. currency, and in some cases even gold bars, because you never knew in advance from one week to the next what it would take to get the local station to release fuel to you. It seemed that hard currency almost always produced fuel.

[Paul Wilson]

Thanks very much, I was certain that would be the case, but you never know. I'm guessing a pile of USD would never go amiss in these situations. I would also assume they would take extra crew, for similar reasons - take off time uncertainty.