US westbound fuel stops (Late Dec 2021)
Dec 25, 2021, 4:24 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 643
US westbound fuel stops (Late Dec 2021)
UA 2303 is being proactively diverted to IAH, ostensibly for fuel. The ground staff in IAD is blaming it on high winds in San Diego……but considering the metars in SAN don’t support that assertion, it’s more like IMHO winds aloft that necessitate a gas n’ go in Houston.
if so, why do you suppose that UA prefers to do a 90 min diversion to Houston on Christmas Day, on the A320, as opposed to offloading some belly cargo in IAD, so as to onload more fuel and operate nonstop?
if so, why do you suppose that UA prefers to do a 90 min diversion to Houston on Christmas Day, on the A320, as opposed to offloading some belly cargo in IAD, so as to onload more fuel and operate nonstop?
Dec 25, 2021, 4:42 pm
#2
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Some cargo can't be offloaded due to contractual issues - and the A320 might have been the only plane with pilots available
Dec 25, 2021, 5:06 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 1999
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Kind of something heard on the train from Oakland to Sacramento.
PA Announcement: The bad news is that we've stopped because the bridge ahead of us is raised for a ship to pass. The good news is that we've found out about it now....
PA Announcement: The bad news is that we've stopped because the bridge ahead of us is raised for a ship to pass. The good news is that we've found out about it now....
Dec 25, 2021, 5:34 pm
#4
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UA 2303 is being proactively diverted to IAH, ostensibly for fuel. The ground staff in IAD is blaming it on high winds in San Diego……but considering the metars in SAN don’t support that assertion, it’s more like IMHO winds aloft that necessitate a gas n’ go in Houston.
if so, why do you suppose that UA prefers to do a 90 min diversion to Houston on Christmas Day, on the A320, as opposed to offloading some belly cargo in IAD, so as to onload more fuel and operate nonstop?
if so, why do you suppose that UA prefers to do a 90 min diversion to Houston on Christmas Day, on the A320, as opposed to offloading some belly cargo in IAD, so as to onload more fuel and operate nonstop?
Dec 25, 2021, 6:02 pm
#6
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B6 is notorious for these kinds of fuel stops on A320s on their transcons and near-transcons when headwinds are high. Seems to be a function of that particular aircraft, not a function of any particular airline.
Dec 25, 2021, 6:14 pm
#7
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UA 2303 is being proactively diverted to IAH, ostensibly for fuel. The ground staff in IAD is blaming it on high winds in San Diego……but considering the metars in SAN don’t support that assertion, it’s more like IMHO winds aloft that necessitate a gas n’ go in Houston.
if so, why do you suppose that UA prefers to do a 90 min diversion to Houston on Christmas Day, on the A320, as opposed to offloading some belly cargo in IAD, so as to onload more fuel and operate nonstop?
if so, why do you suppose that UA prefers to do a 90 min diversion to Houston on Christmas Day, on the A320, as opposed to offloading some belly cargo in IAD, so as to onload more fuel and operate nonstop?
Dec 25, 2021, 7:19 pm
#8
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I'm guessing a similar story for UA354 BWI-SFO? Google etc. say "diverted to DEN" but from the event log at FlightStats there is a "Redirected/diverted" entry several hours before takeoff.
https://www.flightstats.com/v2/fligh...tId=1079491967
just caught my eye, as I'm booked on this flight in a few days. Looks like they got to SFO a bit under 2 hrs late, which I suppose isn't too awful all things considered.
https://www.flightstats.com/v2/fligh...tId=1079491967
just caught my eye, as I'm booked on this flight in a few days. Looks like they got to SFO a bit under 2 hrs late, which I suppose isn't too awful all things considered.
Dec 25, 2021, 8:32 pm
#9
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SAN also has this problem of only having instrument landing system (ILS) on Runway 9 (west to east). The wind tonight will be strong enough SW with showers which can bring the ceiling and visibility down briefly so landing on Runway 27 (east to west) is not possible, and Runway 9 is not usable due to tail winds and wet runway. With such weather, extra fuel reserve for diversion is required and with the distance and head winds aloft, there's no room to satisfy these requirements.
Dec 25, 2021, 9:14 pm
#11
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Been on a few mid-winter IAD-LAX flights that fought these headwinds. 6+ hours in an A319/A320 or 738/9 are/were interminable. Some of the worst were the end of day 10 pm depart runs. Fuel stop(s) just make them even longer.
David
David
Dec 26, 2021, 12:15 am
#12
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There's a good chance they cut the freight ahead of time. I don't know what UA's offload priorities are, but when I was a load master with America West, the only must-ride cargo items were comail (like company documents), AOG (aircraft parts), and human remains. We would offload passengers for weight before we'd remove a single bag.
Dec 26, 2021, 8:45 am
#13
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I'm guessing a similar story for UA354 BWI-SFO? Google etc. say "diverted to DEN" but from the event log at FlightStats there is a "Redirected/diverted" entry several hours before takeoff.
https://www.flightstats.com/v2/fligh...tId=1079491967
just caught my eye, as I'm booked on this flight in a few days. Looks like they got to SFO a bit under 2 hrs late, which I suppose isn't too awful all things considered.
https://www.flightstats.com/v2/fligh...tId=1079491967
just caught my eye, as I'm booked on this flight in a few days. Looks like they got to SFO a bit under 2 hrs late, which I suppose isn't too awful all things considered.
Dec 26, 2021, 9:13 am
#15
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