In non-ashcloud news, Qantas has found no evidence suggesting recent diversions on its
Airbus A380 fleet due to low fuel are outside of an acceptable
threshold, as we reported earlier this month on our Air Transport Intelligence news wire.
"There is no data suggesting any of this is above normal," said Peter Broschofsky, Qantas general manager for environment and fuel conservation, and who declined to comment further.
In recent weeks local reports have highlighted two instances of A380 aircraft having to divert due to low fuel, ostensibly due to management pressure to carry less fuel. One A380 operating from Singapore to Melbourne diverted to Adelaide, 347 nm away, and a second flight from London to Singapore diverted to Kuala Lumpur, 161 nm away, while waiting for storm clouds to clear.
Local reports also claim Qantas ranks its pilots according to how much fuel they load, which Qantas has responded to by saying it is looking at ways to reduce fuel consumption but that there would be no effect on services.
Qantas has downplayed managerial influence on fuel loads, even going so far as to issue a statement on Twitter saying: "Clause (d) of Civil Aviation Regulation 233 states the Captain is responsible for fuel order. Qantas does not influence decision in any way".
But is no secret management and management pilots around the world remind flight crew to be conscious of fuel and carry only what they need.
One question going forward is if Qantas does more than issue reminders and if that leads to peer pressure--surely unacceptable. And so a leaderboard tracking and displaying pilots' fuel usage, if it exists, would be worth seeing.
"There is no data suggesting any of this is above normal," said Peter Broschofsky, Qantas general manager for environment and fuel conservation, and who declined to comment further.
In recent weeks local reports have highlighted two instances of A380 aircraft having to divert due to low fuel, ostensibly due to management pressure to carry less fuel. One A380 operating from Singapore to Melbourne diverted to Adelaide, 347 nm away, and a second flight from London to Singapore diverted to Kuala Lumpur, 161 nm away, while waiting for storm clouds to clear.
Local reports also claim Qantas ranks its pilots according to how much fuel they load, which Qantas has responded to by saying it is looking at ways to reduce fuel consumption but that there would be no effect on services.
Qantas has downplayed managerial influence on fuel loads, even going so far as to issue a statement on Twitter saying: "Clause (d) of Civil Aviation Regulation 233 states the Captain is responsible for fuel order. Qantas does not influence decision in any way".
But is no secret management and management pilots around the world remind flight crew to be conscious of fuel and carry only what they need.
One question going forward is if Qantas does more than issue reminders and if that leads to peer pressure--surely unacceptable. And so a leaderboard tracking and displaying pilots' fuel usage, if it exists, would be worth seeing.
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