Originally Posted by
rickair7777
ACARS can also take it out of your hands. The pax and bags have to match, so the only variable is T/O fuel...you really can't enter less than MINTO for obvious reasons.
True, but you can always try to find half weights that the gate agent may not have included... I've also had the dispatcher re-file, gotten ground crews to use some creativity with ballast when they do not have any ballast available as well as come up with some other solutions.
It's true though that ACARS and not doing our own W&B makes it a little more challenging to get a JS on sometimes.