With jet fuel prices so high, airlines have no choice but to scour their planes for ways to lighten the load. There is no room for even the smallest bits of dead weight, from redundant...
With jet fuel prices so high, airlines have no choice but to scour their planes for ways to lighten the load. There is no room for even the smallest bits of dead weight, from redundant wing lights to extra wires in the walls. "The pressure is immense" to cut weight, said John Heimlich, the chief economist for the Air Transport Association of America.
The price of jet fuel, which the energy department's information unit tracked at $3.17 per gallon in New York on Tuesday, has doubled since the beginning of last year. It outpaced labour as the biggest airline expense three years ago.
The industry has struggled to keep up. Carriers have increased fares, cut capacity, parked fuel guzzler planes, charged customers to check a second bag, trimmed staff and pushed as many passengers as possible to automated kiosks.
Carriers have pulled out unused ovens, magazine racks and trash compactors during the past few years. Some removed paper manuals in the cockpit and installed electronic maintenance logbooks, got rid of glassware on domestic flights, capped electrical outlets in the toilets and cut the power converters from the wall. It took out phones in seat backs and removed the heavy telephone wiring folded inside etc.
American Airlines burned 10.6 billion litres last year. After the recent weight cuts, the carrier estimates it will save about 420.17 million litres this year.
The weight loss would save the carrier roughly $16 000 for a three-hour flight, one of the air company’s delegate noticed.
A lot of airlines are also trying to fly differently to be more fuel efficient.
