Comments on: Continental 757s Are NOT Almost Running Out of Fuel http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onlinetravelreview/2008/04/22/continental-757s-are-not-almost-running-out-of-fuel/ The Daily Airline News by Jared Blank Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:40:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: stacy http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onlinetravelreview/2008/04/22/continental-757s-are-not-almost-running-out-of-fuel/#comment-3640 stacy Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:26:20 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onlinetravelreview/2008/04/22/continental-757s-are-not-almost-running-out-of-fuel/#comment-3640 I don't think they are talking trash. I searched the web for articles related to Continental fuel shorting AFTER a flight experience that led me to wonder what the hell was going on. The article from wired.com (http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/04/continentals-75.html) brought disturbing light to my personal Continental low fuel story. Two weeks ago, I was returning from Portugal on a Continental flight, a 757 no less, and when the pilot announced, "We only have twenty minutes of fuel left..." I thought surely he didn't mean we'd run out of gas in twenty minutes, of course he's not counting the emergency back-up fuel, nothing to worry about. Well, I'm glad I didn't read the article until now. Now that I have, I believe Continental's fuel shorting savings plan is just asking for a disaster. My flight left Lisbon without any delay. We were ahead of schedule when the pilot began our final descent into Newark airport. After a few minutes, I noticed things were taking too long. The pilot then announced, "The weather has finally come into Newark and now the airport is closed ... They have given us a forty-five minute window estimate but we only have twenty minutes of fuel left ... so, we'll continue in a holding pattern as long as we can and hope that the weather clears through faster but we may have to divert and land for refueling ..." If we only had twenty minutes of fuel left when we were in our final descent and our flight was coming in ahead of schedule, well, I think they had burned through the 45 minutes of emergency reserve fuel. After circling for ten minutes or so, we landed at Newberg, NY for refueling. We were the first of seven Continental jets to land for refueling. I don’t think they are talking trash.

I searched the web for articles related to Continental fuel shorting AFTER a flight experience that led me to wonder what the hell was going on. The article from wired.com (http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/04/continentals-75.html) brought disturbing light to my personal Continental low fuel story.

Two weeks ago, I was returning from Portugal on a Continental flight, a 757 no less, and when the pilot announced, “We only have twenty minutes of fuel left…” I thought surely he didn’t mean we’d run out of gas in twenty minutes, of course he’s not counting the emergency back-up fuel, nothing to worry about. Well, I’m glad I didn’t read the article until now.
Now that I have, I believe Continental’s fuel shorting savings plan is just asking for a disaster. My flight left Lisbon without any delay. We were ahead of schedule when the pilot began our final descent into Newark airport. After a few minutes, I noticed things were taking too long. The pilot then announced, “The weather has finally come into Newark and now the airport is closed … They have given us a forty-five minute window estimate but we only have twenty minutes of fuel left … so, we’ll continue in a holding pattern as long as we can and hope that the weather clears through faster but we may have to divert and land for refueling …”
If we only had twenty minutes of fuel left when we were in our final descent and our flight was coming in ahead of schedule, well, I think they had burned through the 45 minutes of emergency reserve fuel.
After circling for ten minutes or so, we landed at Newberg, NY for refueling. We were the first of seven Continental jets to land for refueling.

]]> By: RobC http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onlinetravelreview/2008/04/22/continental-757s-are-not-almost-running-out-of-fuel/#comment-2379 RobC Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:19:35 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onlinetravelreview/2008/04/22/continental-757s-are-not-almost-running-out-of-fuel/#comment-2379 Whilst it may not be dangerous, this surely counts as somewhat sharp practise by Continental? If they are frequently resorting to minimum fuel declarations then they are routinely getting to jump the air-traffic-control queue, which is rather unfair on other carriers who are actually flying long-haul, fit for purpose planes across the pond! Whilst it may not be dangerous, this surely counts as somewhat sharp practise by Continental?

If they are frequently resorting to minimum fuel declarations then they are routinely getting to jump the air-traffic-control queue, which is rather unfair on other carriers who are actually flying long-haul, fit for purpose planes across the pond!

]]> By: Avi Greengart http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onlinetravelreview/2008/04/22/continental-757s-are-not-almost-running-out-of-fuel/#comment-2331 Avi Greengart Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:39:25 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onlinetravelreview/2008/04/22/continental-757s-are-not-almost-running-out-of-fuel/#comment-2331 I wonder if CO pilots don't get bonuses for minimum fuel declarations. From what I can tell, it means that they flew/consumed the perfect amount of fuel - not enough to be dangerous, but not too much to add cost. Fuel is heavy. I would think that flying with more fuel than you need uses even more fuel to pull the extra weight, which is why airlines don't offer magazines on board any more (except their own, which are marketing/advertising vehicles). CO should spin this that they are being "green." I wonder if CO pilots don’t get bonuses for minimum fuel declarations. From what I can tell, it means that they flew/consumed the perfect amount of fuel - not enough to be dangerous, but not too much to add cost. Fuel is heavy. I would think that flying with more fuel than you need uses even more fuel to pull the extra weight, which is why airlines don’t offer magazines on board any more (except their own, which are marketing/advertising vehicles). CO should spin this that they are being “green.”

]]> By: Upgrades and Downgrades — April 22, 2008 — TSA stealing your stuff? Planes on low fuel? Ban mergers? » Upgrade: Travel Better http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onlinetravelreview/2008/04/22/continental-757s-are-not-almost-running-out-of-fuel/#comment-2307 Upgrades and Downgrades — April 22, 2008 — TSA stealing your stuff? Planes on low fuel? Ban mergers? » Upgrade: Travel Better Wed, 23 Apr 2008 03:03:31 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onlinetravelreview/2008/04/22/continental-757s-are-not-almost-running-out-of-fuel/#comment-2307 [...] over the Atlantic have been making fuel stops in Canada on the westbound route. As Jared Blank points out, this isn’t a case of running-on-fumes, but as a passenger, who the hell cares? I don’t [...] [...] over the Atlantic have been making fuel stops in Canada on the westbound route. As Jared Blank points out, this isn’t a case of running-on-fumes, but as a passenger, who the hell cares? I don’t [...]

]]> By: Jared http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onlinetravelreview/2008/04/22/continental-757s-are-not-almost-running-out-of-fuel/#comment-2296 Jared Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:40:22 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onlinetravelreview/2008/04/22/continental-757s-are-not-almost-running-out-of-fuel/#comment-2296 THAT is true... I neglected to mention the say that while they don't have fuel emergencies, they do offer 3x weekly nonstops between Berlin and Goose Bay. My bad :) THAT is true…

I neglected to mention the say that while they don’t have fuel emergencies, they do offer 3x weekly nonstops between Berlin and Goose Bay. My bad :)

]]> By: Gary http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onlinetravelreview/2008/04/22/continental-757s-are-not-almost-running-out-of-fuel/#comment-2294 Gary Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:25:44 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onlinetravelreview/2008/04/22/continental-757s-are-not-almost-running-out-of-fuel/#comment-2294 Continental has been said to operate hubs (well, focus cities really :) at Goose Bay and Gander. :p Continental has been said to operate hubs (well, focus cities really :) at Goose Bay and Gander. :p

]]>