why would Delta do this?

[navigator72]

So a friend calls me today with a strange story:

She was sitting on a plane waiting to depart Detroit, MI for Salt lake City.
While waiting the intercom comes on and mentions the plane doesn't have enough fuel to make it to KSLC so they will be diverting to Kansas City to get fuel. All of this while sitting on the ground in Detroit. Why wouldn't they get fuel in Detroit? Anybody who has some answers please write back.


Thanks

 

[Rough67]

hmm.. My guess would be an association with the turbulence today. There was/is a large area (over 300 miles) of moderate and greater turbulence from 260 up to 390 i think it was, and mabye some severe in there somewhere. We didn't find a reasonable ride until the SBN area at 250 (eastbound).. so possibly a mid 20's cruise altitude and higher fuel burn (not sure of SLC weather today).. ah well .. just guessing.

 

[Andy Neill]

So a friend calls me today with a strange story:

She was sitting on a plane waiting to depart Detroit, MI for Salt lake City.
While waiting the intercom comes on and mentions the plane doesn't have enough fuel to make it to KSLC so they will be diverting to Kansas City to get fuel. All of this while sitting on the ground in Detroit. Why wouldn't they get fuel in Detroit? Anybody who has some answers please write back.


Thanks

...and I'll add to the second post that refuleing in DTW with sufficient fuel to cover the increased fuel burn would put them over max gross for takeoff.

 

[crj567]

hmm.. My guess would be an association with the turbulence today. There was/is a large area (over 300 miles) of moderate and greater turbulence from 260 up to 390 i think it was, and mabye some severe in there somewhere. We didn't find a reasonable ride until the SBN area at 250 (eastbound).. so possibly a mid 20's cruise altitude and higher fuel burn (not sure of SLC weather today).. ah well .. just guessing.

A planned fuel stop can be due to bad wx. It can also be due to some system(s) being deferred. For example-an air-conditioning pack can be inop, requiring a lower cruise altitude and more burn. It could possibly be due to a last-minute substitution of aircraft (for one with less range) Or maybe it is a combo of these factors.

-Maybe it was something else entirely, but those few items pop right into mind first.

-It could also be due to Gen Lee being the loser riding bitch... In which case he might have just needed to get back to MCI and see his "pal" Trevor (a super-hot barista at the airport) who really can make a mean caramel macchiato. (He is so good he doesn't even use a frother.)

 

[onewithwings]

A planned fuel stop can be due to bad wx. It can also be due to some system(s)

Or a center fuel tank defered.

Looking at the SLC radar returns, they could have had issues with a viable alternate due to enroute TS.

 

[ATRCA]

They could probably upload at the gate prior to departure but they would then be required to deplane pax and bags to make up the difference. Instead they did the right thing. They take all pax and stop enroute, problem solved.

 

[navigator72]

Thanks for the info.

 

[filejw]

MD 90 can be restricted on that route...

 

[General Lee]

A planned fuel stop can be due to bad wx. It can also be due to some system(s) being deferred. For example-an air-conditioning pack can be inop, requiring a lower cruise altitude and more burn. It could possibly be due to a last-minute substitution of aircraft (for one with less range) Or maybe it is a combo of these factors.

-Maybe it was something else entirely, but those few items pop right into mind first.

-It could also be due to Gen Lee being the loser riding bitch... In which case he might have just needed to get back to MCI and see his "pal" Trevor (a super-hot barista at the airport) who really can make a mean caramel macchiato. (He is so good he doesn't even use a frother.)

Wow, everything Delta has to also deal with me. Obsess much??????? I kinda feel like you "like me" or something. Get away from me you sicko! OOOh, you just make me want to VOMIT....... Remember when all the girls you met as a kid used to say this stuff to you? Right? How did you get that second job at McRonalds? Is the manager gay? (not that there is anything wrong with that....)


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Also they could have taken the fuel, but would have had to bump passengers and cargo. Better to take a fuel stop and take everyone with you.

 

[another cfii]

So a friend calls me today with a strange story:

She was sitting on a plane waiting to depart Detroit, MI for Salt lake City.
While waiting the intercom comes on and mentions the plane doesn't have enough fuel to make it to KSLC so they will be diverting to Kansas City to get fuel. All of this while sitting on the ground in Detroit. Why wouldn't they get fuel in Detroit? Anybody who has some answers please write back.


Thanks

I think most passengers when they hear any PA on the ground, they'd assumed the worst, i.e. ground delay, mechanical, gate return... Some would go back to their ipod, some would pay a bit more attention (as in your friend, kudos to her. Please understand that in our profession we use some very specific airline "lingo" that even some of us have a hard time comprehending.

I'm sure the Captain was trying to explain it the best way he/she could, minus the technical stuff. While the cockpit door is closed, there's a lot more going on. There's air traffic control's taxi instruction, company's electronic messages regarding any issues, running checklists. So in this case, the crew is probably busy retrieving new paperwork, inputting new airplane performance data, while trying to keep the folks in the loop.

So instead of giving a 10 min. speech about why the wind is stronger than usual/lower cruise altitude to get away from turbulence, we usually try to give a more generic, less alarming PA to keep folks updated in the back. Next time if you have any questions about the flight, don't hesitate to pass the question up through the flight attendants, or ask the pilots when you deplane. I'm sure if time permitting, they'd love to explain things a bit more in detail.

Thanks for flying Delta

 

[Redmeat]

So a friend calls me today with a strange story:

She was sitting on a plane waiting to depart Detroit, MI for Salt lake City.
While waiting the intercom comes on and mentions the plane doesn't have enough fuel to make it to KSLC so they will be diverting to Kansas City to get fuel. All of this while sitting on the ground in Detroit. Why wouldn't they get fuel in Detroit? Anybody who has some answers please write back.


Thanks

Probably for the free steaks. On the way out to LAX in the 80 I usually diverted into Garden City KS...Flower Aviation for the free wine...

 

[Mach 80]

>>>>So instead of giving a 10 min. speech about why the wind is stronger than usual/lower cruise altitude to get away from turbulence, we usually try to give a more generic, less alarming PA to keep folks updated in the back.<<<

I do the opposite. It doesn't take long to just tell it like it is. If there's considerable turbulence at the higher altitudes and it's going to be a lot smoother at lower altidues but because the plane burns a lot more fuel at lower altitudes, we'll need to make a fuel stop. If something breaks on the airplane, I explain it, what it does, and why it's necessary to get it fixed. If I have to turn the seat belt sign on, I explain what's going on such as it's bumby due to crossing a frontal system or a change in direction velocity of the jetstream. Many passengers have thanked me for the full explanation so instead of just saying "something broke, we're going to be delayed" sort of PA you'll find many are interested in something more detailed.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Brian Regan - Pilot Announcements

http://comedians.comedycentral.com/brian-regan/videos/brian-regan---flying

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhh.....uhhhhhhhhhhhh folks.........let me tell you what's going on up here."

 

[another cfii]

>>>>So instead of giving a 10 min. speech about why the wind is stronger than usual/lower cruise altitude to get away from turbulence, we usually try to give a more generic, less alarming PA to keep folks updated in the back.<<<

I do the opposite. It doesn't take long to just tell it like it is. If there's considerable turbulence at the higher altitudes and it's going to be a lot smoother at lower altidues but because the plane burns a lot more fuel at lower altitudes, we'll need to make a fuel stop. If something breaks on the airplane, I explain it, what it does, and why it's necessary to get it fixed. If I have to turn the seat belt sign on, I explain what's going on such as it's bumby due to crossing a frontal system or a change in direction velocity of the jetstream. Many passengers have thanked me for the full explanation so instead of just saying "something broke, we're going to be delayed" sort of PA you'll find many are interested in something more detailed.

Of course I don't mean PA as brief and non-informative as you mentioned. I think most pax would appreciate the pilots let them know what's going on. In some rare occasion, i.e. engine/flt control problem, and we need to get back on the ground, I usually don't bother with the tech. stuff, until we get back on the ground, then we have more time to explain if need to be.

Making good PA seems to become a lost art, and I rarely see any CA makes any pre-flight PA anymore...

 

[WayBack]

I think most passengers when they hear any PA on the ground, they'd assumed the worst, i.e. ground delay, mechanical, gate return... Some would go back to their ipod, some would pay a bit more attention (as in your friend, kudos to her. Please understand that in our profession we use some very specific airline "lingo" that even some of us have a hard time comprehending.

I'm sure the Captain was trying to explain it the best way he/she could, minus the technical stuff. While the cockpit door is closed, there's a lot more going on. There's air traffic control's taxi instruction, company's electronic messages regarding any issues, running checklists. So in this case, the crew is probably busy retrieving new paperwork, inputting new airplane performance data, while trying to keep the folks in the loop.

So instead of giving a 10 min. speech about why the wind is stronger than usual/lower cruise altitude to get away from turbulence, we usually try to give a more generic, less alarming PA to keep folks updated in the back. Next time if you have any questions about the flight, don't hesitate to pass the question up through the flight attendants, or ask the pilots when you deplane. I'm sure if time permitting, they'd love to explain things a bit more in detail.

Thanks for flying Delta

Wow, glad you able to explain how everything works, because none of us are even pilots. Especially the original poster.

As for giving a generic speech, I doubt you do. You just gave this long winded answer to a bunch of pilots. You're the kind of guy that uses the FA's PA system to try and impress all the passengers with your knowledge, while winking at the girls sitting in first class.

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

The girls in first class love my winks. It just gets better when I lean over in the galley and start to put out the vibe.

 

[another cfii]

I only go pretend I'm a FA when i see some hot chicks coming onboard & I don't think they fasten their seat belts properly, then I'll volunteer to do a "tactile" check...

 

[contrail67]

Wow, everything Delta has to also deal with me. Obsess much??????? I kinda feel like you "like me" or something. Get away from me you sicko! OOOh, you just make me want to VOMIT....... Remember when all the girls you met as a kid used to say this stuff to you? Right? How did you get that second job at McRonalds? Is the manager gay? (not that there is anything wrong with that....)


Bye Bye---General Lee

He wants your leg General.....

 

[Scope out RJ's]

............