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Payload Optimized [The Definitive Thread]

Payload Optimized [The Definitive Thread]

Old Jun 14, 2018, 10:19 pm
  #106  
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Originally Posted by Fly_Delta_Jets
When a flight is payload optimized, cargo is pulled way before bags. Bags are almost the last option (behind revenue pax), so if they're being pulled, the aircraft is very close to max takeoff weight.
that may be the case but gate agents intimidate customers to the point that their bags won’t make it until they give in......I witnessed this in MSP and thought it was awful.
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Old Jun 16, 2018, 2:13 pm
  #107  
 
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Had it today: Denver to Atlanta MD 90, flight 74. The GA's made several announcements. I don't think people knew enough to freak out.
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Old Jun 16, 2018, 8:03 pm
  #108  
 
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May be a result of adding fuel for routing around the afternoon pop-up thunderstorms this time of year.

Additional fuel will reduce max payload

IME, I've never seen pax or bags bumped before cargo, so I'd suspect that dispatch or the PIC opted to add fuel, thus reducing payload.
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Old Jun 17, 2018, 1:16 am
  #109  
 
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Remember that for weight and balance purposes, the FAA authorizes the use of standard weights. A passenger, combined with their carry-on bag, is assumed to weigh 190 lbs in the summer (and 195 lbs in winter). A standard checked bag is assumed to weigh 30 lbs.

If the gate agent is stating that the flight is payload-optimized, and also gate checking bags, any bag that gets gate checked causes a 30lb hit. Once the bag goes in the bin, it has to be accounted for in the weight. Yes, this seems counter-intuitive, since whether your bag is in the overhead or the cargo bin, its still "on the airplane," but that's not how it works with standard weights.

If the GA gate-checks 10 bags, that's an extra 300 lbs of weight. This isn't normally a big deal, but on an MD90, DEN-ATL on a hot day with thunderstorms in the forecast in ATL, it *might* be a big deal, and the dispatcher would set a weight limit to make sure that limit isn't exceeded.
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Old Jun 17, 2018, 11:30 pm
  #110  
 
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Originally Posted by PurdueFlyer
Remember that for weight and balance purposes, the FAA authorizes the use of standard weights. A passenger, combined with their carry-on bag, is assumed to weigh 190 lbs in the summer (and 195 lbs in winter). A standard checked bag is assumed to weigh 30 lbs.

If the gate agent is stating that the flight is payload-optimized, and also gate checking bags, any bag that gets gate checked causes a 30lb hit. Once the bag goes in the bin, it has to be accounted for in the weight. Yes, this seems counter-intuitive, since whether your bag is in the overhead or the cargo bin, its still "on the airplane," but that's not how it works with standard weights.

If the GA gate-checks 10 bags, that's an extra 300 lbs of weight. This isn't normally a big deal, but on an MD90, DEN-ATL on a hot day with thunderstorms in the forecast in ATL, it *might* be a big deal, and the dispatcher would set a weight limit to make sure that limit isn't exceeded.
This is interesting but makes sense. What doesn't make sense is the 190/195 lbs seems low for pax including their carryons.
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Old Jun 18, 2018, 8:08 am
  #111  
 
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Originally Posted by zgscl
This is interesting but makes sense. What doesn't make sense is the 190/195 lbs seems low for pax including their carryons.
Used to be even lower before they (FAA) raised it by 10 pounds back in 2003. It wouldn't surprise me if they raised the weight again at some point in the future - average US weigh has increased by 5 pounds for both men and women since 2003. This is combined with the fact that planes go out with more carry-on bags than ever (larger bins and charged checked bags) could result in upward revision. I suspect if this happened then the airlines would start looking to use more aggressive estimation techniques (e.g., look at age and gender of passengers) to make W&B measures.

If that does happen - and combined with the ongoing densification trend - and you will see planes that used to be able to safely make certain routes more likely to become "payload optimized".
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Old Jun 18, 2018, 10:03 am
  #112  
 
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an article from 2016
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/averag...ry?id=41100782...

"Researchers from the CDC found that the average weight of U.S. men over the age of 20 has increased to 195.7 pounds, according to data from 2011 to 2014. The former average, 180.7 pounds, was based on data from 1988-1994. The heights of both men and women remained about the same.Women and children are not immune to the slow weight gain of recent decades, either. The average woman in 1960 weighed 140.2 pounds. Today, the average weight for a woman is 168.5 pounds. Adolescent boys and girls seem to be the most at risk, with a 12 pound average weight gain -- proportionately more based on height -- compared to 20 years ago..."
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Old Jun 18, 2018, 10:51 am
  #113  
 
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Originally Posted by mules
an article from 2016
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/averag...ry?id=41100782...

"Researchers from the CDC found that the average weight of U.S. men over the age of 20 has increased to 195.7 pounds, according to data from 2011 to 2014. The former average, 180.7 pounds, was based on data from 1988-1994. The heights of both men and women remained about the same.Women and children are not immune to the slow weight gain of recent decades, either. The average woman in 1960 weighed 140.2 pounds. Today, the average weight for a woman is 168.5 pounds. Adolescent boys and girls seem to be the most at risk, with a 12 pound average weight gain -- proportionately more based on height -- compared to 20 years ago..."
Most of this weight gain occurred during the early 90's and early 00's. Weight gain has gone up much more slowly since then (~5 pounds for both genders as I mentioned above), although this is an average - weight has exhibited increasing sociodemographic bifurcation (higher income folks staying the same weight or even declines in some gender/age/racial groups, middle to lower income folks increasing in weight).
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Old Jun 19, 2018, 7:36 am
  #114  
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Originally Posted by PurdueFlyer
Remember that for weight and balance purposes, the FAA authorizes the use of standard weights. A passenger, combined with their carry-on bag, is assumed to weigh 190 lbs in the summer (and 195 lbs in winter). A standard checked bag is assumed to weigh 30 lbs.

If the gate agent is stating that the flight is payload-optimized, and also gate checking bags, any bag that gets gate checked causes a 30lb hit. Once the bag goes in the bin, it has to be accounted for in the weight. Yes, this seems counter-intuitive, since whether your bag is in the overhead or the cargo bin, its still "on the airplane," but that's not how it works with standard weights.

If the GA gate-checks 10 bags, that's an extra 300 lbs of weight. This isn't normally a big deal, but on an MD90, DEN-ATL on a hot day with thunderstorms in the forecast in ATL, it *might* be a big deal, and the dispatcher would set a weight limit to make sure that limit isn't exceeded.
The average weight includes the fact that the plane has room for only so many overhead suitcases. So when a suitcase is gate-checked, that implies the overheads are already full and there are more suitcases than allowed for.
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Old Jun 19, 2018, 9:33 am
  #115  
 
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Originally Posted by sethb
The average weight includes the fact that the plane has room for only so many overhead suitcases. So when a suitcase is gate-checked, that implies the overheads are already full and there are more suitcases than allowed for.
I would agree with this if overhead bin sizes were consistent across planes - but they are not. For example, many of Delta's new planes have much larger overhead bins with significantly greater capacity. Does Delta increase the weight estimates when this occurs? I don't think they do (I could be wrong).
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Old Jun 26, 2018, 3:24 pm
  #116  
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6/26 DL553 STL-DTW is payload optimized today. Surprise for such a short flight.
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Old Jun 27, 2018, 12:34 am
  #117  
 
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A while back, my day of my double bump (and $1000 in credits), was due to weather and weight issues. I was lucky since I was in MSP and got to hang out with lots of friends and get some extra money for future trips. The first flight they needed 10+ off, and I was initially boarded then asked off (happily) after the final checks. The funny part was when I got off, a lady pax was said, "if they need extra weight off, why did they pick him??" I'm 6'5 but pretty lean lol
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 11:29 am
  #118  
 
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Same Experience

Originally Posted by Orion
Last evening I was waiting in ATL in the "A" concourse for my delayed DCA flight when I heard an agent at a nearby gate make this announcement:
"This flight to Houston is a designated Payload Optimization Flight. There are empty seats. We have standbys. We are waiting word from operations headquarters on whether we will be allowed to board any standbys."
I have never heard this phrase before. Is it a blip? Or might we be hearing more of this in the future?
ATL to IAH is not very far so I don't think having enough fuel should have been a problem. In about fifteen minutes, the answer came back, "yes". They were told they could board the standbys.
I had this happen to me today trying to fly standby from Atlanta to Phoenix. I’m a Delta Million Miler and have NEVER encountered this before!
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 11:36 am
  #119  
 
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I recall it occasionally when I lived in SoCal and flew NW out of ONT.
And I've heard it occasionally on intl flights.
Sometimes, I think cargo may generate more revenue than passengers.
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 11:46 am
  #120  
 
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Originally Posted by Marc Schiff


I had this happen to me today trying to fly standby from Atlanta to Phoenix. I’m a Delta Million Miler and have NEVER encountered this before!
Unexpected payload optimized flights out of ATL when there isn't funky weather out tend to be due to heavy must-fly cargo.. often aircraft parts to try to rescue a stranded plane given that ATL has probably one of the world's largest stores of spares lying around.

With that said, it also wouldn't surprise me if it was regular old cargo that Delta is flying for a nice premium. It's the week after Black Friday / Cyber Monday, I can guarantee you that virtually no plane is flying with an empty cargo hold at the moment.
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