Ted: LAX-LAS Weight Restricted?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Wilmington, DE, PHL
Programs: UA MM Gold, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 278
Ted: LAX-LAS Weight Restricted?
My Ted flight from LAX-LAS last night was "weight restricted". The flight was booked full. The GA was asking for volunteers to get off the plane - and was giving VDB's. It looked like the GA may have taken about 6 volunteers at first. Then she went on the plane and took 3 more off (including myself).
Anybody have any thoughts on this - why the flight might have been weight restricted? I know I've been on completely full Ted flights before. There was some "weather" in LAS, but not sure why that would be an issue.
Was Ted just too tired by the end of the day to carry a full load?
Anybody have any thoughts on this - why the flight might have been weight restricted? I know I've been on completely full Ted flights before. There was some "weather" in LAS, but not sure why that would be an issue.
Was Ted just too tired by the end of the day to carry a full load?
#2
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Denver
Programs: UA 1K in training
Posts: 2,107
Could be some sort of mechanical issue. There are some equipment failures that don't prevent you from flying safely but do place some limits on altitude, payload, etc.
#3
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NYC/SFO
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Posts: 1,097
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)
I've had that happen once before on Ted SFO-LAS.
I'm guessing a combination of weather and profitable cargo...
I've had that happen once before on Ted SFO-LAS.
I'm guessing a combination of weather and profitable cargo...
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 20,404
Perhaps there was some unusually heavy cargo on it?
For a plane that can fly from JFK-SFO without stopping (in most scenarios), I'd think I little extra fuel for the short hop from LAX-LAS would certainly do the trick.
I can only think it'd be big cargo, or not wanting to wait to call the fuel truck back to top off the tanks.
For a plane that can fly from JFK-SFO without stopping (in most scenarios), I'd think I little extra fuel for the short hop from LAX-LAS would certainly do the trick.
I can only think it'd be big cargo, or not wanting to wait to call the fuel truck back to top off the tanks.
#5
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Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
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Maybe because too much fuel required at takeoff (due to heavy cargo, or possible delays/diversions) results in too much fuel remaining at landing? Or maybe I have no idea what I'm talking about.
#7
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Bellingham/Gainesville
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Which runway did it land on? 1RL/19RL are considerably shorter with less weight than 25RL/7RL. Maybe 25R/7L was closed or the N/S crosswind was above minimums or the fuel/cargo it was carrying combined with weather minimums it couldn't go full weight.
#8
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: bouncing around
Posts: 1,274
Maybe the plane carried a pallet of gold bullions or coins? Very heavy and dense stuff. Either way, I hope you received your proper IDB comps.
#9
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SAN / BAH / TPA
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 1,022
Did Ted have CH9 on? Did you hear any mention of "mountain wave" wx conditions? Prior to Friday's so-cal rainstorm, we had some nice, strong Santa Ana winds blowing around.
#10
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K, Starwood Plat
Posts: 412
Max fuel capacity on an A320 is just shy of 7000 U.S. gallons. The aircraft needs nowhere near that to get from LAX to LAS. It would have to be some very, very heavy cargo for that to be the issue.
#11
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 8,002
There are two weights to be concerned about.
Max t/o off weight. Most likely not the case here.
Max landing weight. Most likely the case here.
Extra fuel needed for an alternate airport further than usual may be what happened. Extra freight maybe, if it was connecting to an overseas destination.
Max t/o off weight. Most likely not the case here.
Max landing weight. Most likely the case here.
Extra fuel needed for an alternate airport further than usual may be what happened. Extra freight maybe, if it was connecting to an overseas destination.
#12
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 1,195
I can't imagine this was a takeoff weight limit, so fuel required is irrelevant; it had to be either a ZFW or landing weight limit.
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Wilmington, DE, PHL
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We landed on runway 25L. The weather was windy with light rain. Ted had Channel 9 on, and I heard that runway 1RL was closed to due to the weather. There was light to moderate chop the entire way from LAX-LAS.
#15
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: TPE/KHH/LAX
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I took a flight from ONT to LAS on the Thanksgiving weekend on US, and they also announced that they are seeking volunteers due to weight restriction.