Originally Posted by
Ziggy
While I am a strong advocate for captains authority. Is it possible a few bad apples are abusing this privlege. When you think of fuel remaining after a flight what is your comfort zone? 1, 1.5, or 2 hrs? As captains we shoulder alot of responsibility both for the flying public and the company. While this is certainly not the first attack on captains authority, it isn't the last. But we must always make sure our ducks are in a row.
great point!!!!!
A couple of months ago during the winter, while jumpseating on mainline, the captain requested what amount to about an extra 1/2 hour of fuel and said something about the dispatcher being a newbie and the weather being marginal, then 2 hours later we are at destination being about 18 mins of fuel over weight, since tailwinds were stronger than predicted... over a thousand pound of fuel wasted in a holding pattern because this Captain was "over cautious".
In an instance like this I totally understand the company questioning this individuals common sense and authority...