Rising Fuel Costs Create Safety Risk
Airlines are trying to pack more passengers on flights creating anxieties for pilots who are concerned that attempts to cut costs on fuel contribute to serious safety risks. Normally, a plane must have enough primary fuel in order to reach its destination with an additional reserve suitable for an extra 45 minutes in the air. However, MSNBC reports that some pilots say the situation is not always as it should be.
“With the fuel they gave me I had to declare minimum fuel on arrival in Miami and dispatch had to request help from Miami ATC. This was also discussed with dispatch prior to my departure. It’s almost like a contest to see how far we can spread this company thin, and when an accident happens, we’ll start reintroducing the safety elements we once had. Congratulations to all who got us to this point.”
David A. Castelveter, vice president of the Air Transport Association, criticizes the solutions that airlines plan to put aside safety controls in order to save money.
“That’s an absurd allegation,” he said. “There are no shortcuts in the operation of the aircraft, and no carrier is going to compromise the safe operation of a flight.”
Gerard Arpey, chief executive of American Airlines, also responds.
“No one would put a plane in service that wasn’t safe.”
Photo:© cliff1066™
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