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Fuel prices soaring, how is your airline coping with that?

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Old 7th Mar 2008, 12:59
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Fuel prices soaring, how is your airline coping with that?

With fuel prices soaring, airlines are having a new thing to worry about, how is your company coping with that?

I'll start, in Mexicana you've got to have a special authorization from dispatch if you want to carry more than 300 kg of what your flight plan indicates, not to mention all the other fuel saving procedures (one eng taxi, packs off at take off, flex TO thrust, etc etc...)

cheers and thanks for your comments!

Last edited by pezetaroi; 7th Mar 2008 at 13:00. Reason: spelling
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Old 7th Mar 2008, 13:27
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Angel

We tried one engine take offs but it didn't catch on for some reason
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Old 7th Mar 2008, 13:31
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We just raise the fuel surcharge. We've also tried glide approaches in the 777 but they weren't as successful as we'd hoped.
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Old 7th Mar 2008, 13:36
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We've got the "Pilot Fuel League Table" in which some are taking to mean 'fuel league competition'...
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Old 7th Mar 2008, 14:31
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BA are proposing that their employees pay for it.
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Old 7th Mar 2008, 14:54
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It's all very simple.
As we operate ACMI, the end user airline pays for the fuel.

The airline desires reliability, and the cost of fuel is secondary, to a large extent.
Operationally, starting the last engine during taxi is accomplished, together with flying at the LRC mach number...but quite frankly, this has more or less always been the norm...except if stuck behing an Airboos which is never good, especially as we cruise at M.85.
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Old 7th Mar 2008, 15:28
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the cost of fuel is secondary, to a large extent.
At $100 oil, fuel costs will approach 60% for silly unhedged Ryanair in 2008. How sustainable is the low cost business model with $200 oil in 2012?

Sorry, off topic. Hat, coat etc.

Last edited by saccade; 7th Mar 2008 at 15:40.
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Old 7th Mar 2008, 16:45
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"Jet fuel prices moved past $2.90 on world markets for the first time and airlines pushed their fuel surcharges higher to meet the new records.
In Los Angeles on Friday, Feb. 22, airlines were paying $2.935 per gallon for jet fuel. That price was $1.0755, or 58 percent, higher than the average price for February a year ago.
Friday's price for jet fuel in Rotterdam was the highest anywhere in the world at $2.9664 per gallon. It was $1.01876, or 67 percent, higher than Rotterdam's average for Feb. 2007.
Cargolux, Europe's largest all-cargo airline, raised its surcharge for the second time in as many weeks. The new rate is 85 euro cents per kilo as of March 17, up from 80 cents effective March 10."
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Old 7th Mar 2008, 16:52
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My company hedged the fuel for this year, however 2009 will be a different beast alltogether. Apart from that there is no restriction at all on our decisions how much fuel to carry, of course they urge us to carry the least possible amount but we are still free to decide on our own.
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Old 7th Mar 2008, 17:57
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My company has just given us the OPTION to leave the landing lights off until the final approach, they poke out into the airflow on the Airbus and I guess there will be a small saving to made! I prefer to keepem on to let other 250kt 60Ton bits of metal wizzzing around me know Im there.....
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Old 7th Mar 2008, 18:09
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We just dig a new hole in the sand and hook a hose to it.
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Old 7th Mar 2008, 18:12
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$100+

My boss just loves this. He pumps it from the front lawn and orders 100 more jets here from the middle east. Now if only he would pass it onto his crew.

The higher the price, the more we tanker from the ME.

5 tons extra, you get a warning letter for taking too little!
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Old 8th Mar 2008, 00:59
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single engine descents! ;-) Just kidding.

In reality, Flap3 landings, single engine taxi-in and out, where applicable (some airports restrict its use from certain terminals).

Carrying regulatory fuel, plus a small buffer. If using statistical based contigency fuel, as allowed by JAR OPS, things work out well most of the time. And if things go pear-shaped (about 2% of the time), a diversion is not the end of the world, though some seem to think it is.

Rgrds
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Old 8th Mar 2008, 01:03
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... in our airlines' current business strategy is that we pass on or should we say add on any fuel surcharge to the riding public... but hey, if you're the only LCC operating in the country do they have a choice?
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Old 9th Mar 2008, 05:44
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In my day to day we normally look for 250+ knots jetstreams and when we get there we shut off engines (1 min, 1 hour...), the more we save the more points I get on my BP points fuel card to get that precious vacuum cleaner for my wife at the fuel station.
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Old 9th Mar 2008, 06:18
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My company seems to pour money down many a broken drain so I think fuel is the least of their worries.
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Old 9th Mar 2008, 10:27
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The price of fuel is inconsequential because it affects all carriers. It's the cost of doing business and as long as people keep buying tickets the wheels keep turning.

Curiously, at $105+ per barrel and corresponding higher ticket prices, or tickets with fuel surcharges, ever more people are still buying tickets to fly, especially premium priced business class tickets which continue to be in high demand.

Despite the increased seat costs, many airlines are in fact expanding business class and are introducing flat bed seats which heretofore had been exclusive only in First Class.

From an operational standpoint, econo cruise profiles already are optimized, but airplanes don't magically burn less fuel when the price goes up.

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Old 9th Mar 2008, 12:58
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I flew with an old ex-Pan Am captain the other day.

He said, "When they start talking about fuel conservation, it's the beginning of the end...."
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Old 9th Mar 2008, 13:57
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I'll start, in Mexicana you've got to have a special authorization from dispatch if you want to carry more than 300 kg of what your flight plan indicates, not to mention all the other fuel saving procedures (one eng taxi, packs off at take off, flex TO thrust, etc etc...)
What exactly do you mean with Packs off after Take off? Do you mean after landing maybe?
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Old 9th Mar 2008, 15:34
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What exactly do you mean with Packs off after Take off? Do you mean after landing maybe?
He said "Packs of AT takeoff". Obviously turning them on after takeoff
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