Originally Posted by
cmd320
These weights are only 6,000lbs apart. Why would a CR2 need to be fueled to near MTOW for a flight from BDL-DCA?
They couldn't. That would put them over max landing weight at destination.
47,000 max landing weight plus, rough guess, 2,900 burn on a direct(ish) routing would be a max takeoff weight of 49,900.
When they add more fuel for the longer routing you end up fueling to something more than 49,900. When the route is shortened later, you're too heavy to go.