Weight Restrictions?
Jan 23, 2010, 8:17 pm
#1
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Weight Restrictions?
I was scheduled on US Airways Flight 75 DCA to PHX 1/22. They called for 7 volunteers due to weight restrictions, not due to an oversold flight. The flight was on a Airbus 319. Is it common this time of year to be weight restricted on this flight? Is it because of the aircraft, DCA?, headwinds?
Any thoughts? I'm scheduled on this flight tomorrow, after taking a bump voucher on Friday.
Any thoughts? I'm scheduled on this flight tomorrow, after taking a bump voucher on Friday.
Jan 23, 2010, 8:22 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2006
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I was scheduled on US Airways Flight 75 DCA to PHX 1/22. They called for 7 volunteers due to weight restrictions, not due to an oversold flight. The flight was on a Airbus 319. Is it common this time of year to be weight restricted on this flight? Is it because of the aircraft, DCA?, headwinds?
Any thoughts? I'm scheduled on this flight tomorrow, after taking a bump voucher on Friday.
Any thoughts? I'm scheduled on this flight tomorrow, after taking a bump voucher on Friday.
I'd bet it's the headwinds. The storms coming in from the Pacific have been guided by a very strong west-to-east flow. It's also possible that that particular flight already had a lot of cargo scheduled to be included, which added to the need to cut weight in combination with the headwinds.
Jan 23, 2010, 8:44 pm
#3
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Headwinds is probably the reason. It is kind of surprising to me - any W&B issues I've had were on smaller planes and shorter routes. I've made pitstops at MCI and elsewhere when flying cross-country. I would have thought that would be easier than leaving pax behind.
ETA: That flight took 4:58 to fly, while the reverse direction flight 46 on the same day took 3:30
ETA, more: Ground speeds for 737's between PHX and the east coast on the 22nd - <500 westbound, >730 eastbound (flightaware says mach 1.11 - not really, but relative to groundspeed, I assume)
ETA: That flight took 4:58 to fly, while the reverse direction flight 46 on the same day took 3:30
ETA, more: Ground speeds for 737's between PHX and the east coast on the 22nd - <500 westbound, >730 eastbound (flightaware says mach 1.11 - not really, but relative to groundspeed, I assume)
Last edited by CPRich; Jan 23, 2010 at 9:02 pm
Jan 24, 2010, 9:33 am
#4
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Just a wild stab
weight restricted due to a higher fuel load.
weight restricted due to a higher fuel load.
Jan 24, 2010, 10:19 am
#5
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Also, the longest runway at DCA is only 6869 feet, so that probably compounds the weight restriction when extra fuel is needed due to headwinds.
Jan 24, 2010, 4:30 pm
#6
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I'm sure OPS had it all figured out WRT at what point they should leave people behind vs. making a tech stop to add fuel.