Weight balancing on a full flight?
Nov 7, 2021 | 3:55 pm
#1
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Join Date: Jul 2014
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Weight balancing on a full flight?
On LAS-JFK today and we would have departed quite early, except we suffered a 45 minute delay pushing off from the gate for "weight balancing issues". This is despite the fact that every single seat on the plane appears to be occupied.
What's left to balance, exactly? I assume the cargo hold is also quite full on a flight like this so I'm trying to figure out what other adjustments would be required.
What's left to balance, exactly? I assume the cargo hold is also quite full on a flight like this so I'm trying to figure out what other adjustments would be required.
Nov 8, 2021 | 9:06 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,197
They may need to move people around for this reason. I once was on a plane that happened to have a large group of small primary school children (as you can imagine, not the best flight I've ever had...) and they had to move people around before take-off to account for the weight imbalance created by that group.
Nov 8, 2021 | 11:31 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: New York
Posts: 902
ive been on a flight with this issue before. only Jetblue, never with LATAM or American or any other airline I have flown. I'm not sure why the "weights and balances" issue is so common for them. Is it the aircraft? mine was an A321NEO
Nov 8, 2021 | 11:36 am
#4
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W&B issues are more common on the A321 and even moreso on the A321neo. You can't load up the rear bin too much or the plane will tip back on its tail, but you can't load up the forward bin so much that the plane won't be able to rotate on takeoff. Earlier this year I experienced a W&B delay on an Alaska Airlines A321neo.
The 737-900 and -900ER are also a PITA from what I hear.
-J.
The 737-900 and -900ER are also a PITA from what I hear.
-J.
Nov 8, 2021 | 12:26 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: TOL
Posts: 1,044
On a full flight, they probably had to move bags or cargo from the rear cargo hold to the front. On non-full flights, it is usually easier to move people forward or aft. Very occasionally adding ballast or taking off fuel is needed.