FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Anyone know the average cost per pound to fly 1,000 miles at $3/gallon fuel?
Old Jul 12, 2007, 8:12 pm
  #15  
sbm12
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
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Strangely a friend of mind sent me an email about this topc recently that I found interesting, if not a bit lacking in all the details. It comes from an AA employee, so that should (theoretically) lend some credibility to it, but judge for yourself...
I did a little research per our discussion yesterday regarding the fuel cost of flying to LAX (one way). Note that the cost will vary from aircraft type to type, so I have included the different equipment that AA flies (though you might be hard pressed to get on a 767-200 from DFW to LAX (you could from JFK or Boston) or an Airbus A300 to fly to LAX period). The assumptions are as follows:

*All flights are 185 minutes (this is pretty much true per Sabre, our reservations software). Note that some equipment are much faster, but the scheduled (block) times are the same. (777 is about 555MPH, and MD80 is about 490 MPH).
*The carried weight is 200 lbs (this would be a 170# person with a 30# carryon bag). Of course, you can scale up or down, but that is "typical".
*The data I used is to compute the benefit of taking off x#; and I assume sufficiently straight slope to apply in negative direction.
*Today, Jet fuel is $90.30 per barrel. At 30 gallons per BBL, that works out to $3.01/gallon.

(B=Boeing, A=Airbus, PAX = number of passengers, Max)

Code:
Equipment  Gallons      Cost          4oz              PAX   Everybody
B777        17.76        $53.47        6.7 cents       245    $16.38
B767-300    19.88        $59.82        7.5             225     16.83
B767-200    20.74        $62.43        7.8             167     13.03
B757TW*     21.86        $65.80        8.2             188     15.46
B757**      21.94        $66.03        8.3             188     15.52
A300        22.78        $68.56        8.6             268     22.97
B737-800    23.13        $69.61        8.7             148     12.88
MD80        32.84        $98.85       12.4             140     17.30
* (ex-TWA, Pratt&Whitney Engines)
** (AA, Rolls Royce Engines)
You'll note that it only costs $53.50 to fly you to LAX on a 777, whereas it costs nearly twice as much ($99) to fly you there on an MD80!!! I think my estimate to you was $75-80.

If a person went to the bathroom before boarding the flight, he or she might lose 4 oz (average). The 4 oz column is the savings of just one person going to the bathroom. If everyone went to the bathroom we could save up to $23 on that one flight (actually, it would be more if I added the crew). If everyone went to the bathroom before each flight, American would save $3.1 million annually, based upon 85% full planes. So, the next time you prepare to board a flight, ask yourself, "Can I go to the bathroom first?" :-)
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