Refuelling after push back

[2 GKC]

Just had to return to gate after pushing back. Captain said some passengers missed the plane, their bags are on board but one of them hasn’t been security cleared. Firstly, how is that possible? Secondly the captain said they would need to refuel at the gate, suggesting they sent the plane off short of fuel. We were only gone 10 minutes. Not exactly reassuring on either count. BA A380 to LAX.

[2xChevrons]

2 GKC said:

Secondly the captain said they would need to refuel at the gate, suggesting they sent the plane off short of fuel. We were only gone 10 minutes. Not exactly reassuring on either count. BA A380 to LAX.

Where the engines running on the ground for a decent period of time while they sorted out the passenger/baggage situation? Planes usually fly with a very specific minimum amount of fuel, which includes good safety margins but no more (because increased fuel load increases fuel burn, reduces performance and, on a long-haul flight like to LA, might impede on the commercial payload). So the plan is fuelled up with enough to start, taxi, takeoff, climb, cruise, descend, land, taxi + the required time for diversions and/or holding + safety margins. If you sat on the ground after start-up you may have eaten into the fuel load allocated for taxiing, hence the need to top up before setting off again.

So it's not that the plane was 'short on fuel' in that a few minutes extra taxiing/ground running meant you would have conked out over Nevada if they hadn't refuelled, but that there is a defined amount of fuel that the planned to set off with to be safe (with margin), and that needs to be present.

[Kenty]

I think the worrying thing about the OPs post is the fact they shut the doors and pushed back without all the passengers being accounted for and with their cases on board, this should never ever happen.

[2 GKC]

2xChevrons said:

Where the engines running on the ground for a decent period of time while they sorted out the passenger/baggage situation? Planes usually fly with a very specific minimum amount of fuel, which includes good safety margins but no more (because increased fuel load increases fuel burn, reduces performance and, on a long-haul flight like to LA, might impede on the commercial payload). So the plan is fuelled up with enough to start, taxi, takeoff, climb, cruise, descend, land, taxi + the required time for diversions and/or holding + safety margins. If you sat on the ground after start-up you may have eaten into the fuel load allocated for taxiing, hence the need to top up before setting off again.

So it's not that the plane was 'short on fuel' in that a few minutes extra taxiing/ground running meant you would have conked out over Nevada if they hadn't refuelled, but that there is a defined amount of fuel that the planned to set off with to be safe (with margin), and that needs to be present.

We weren’t gone or delayed for very long at all, certainly been delayed more in the past without having to refuel

[MarkwG]

2 GKC said:

2xChevrons said:

Where the engines running on the ground for a decent period of time while they sorted out the passenger/baggage situation? Planes usually fly with a very specific minimum amount of fuel, which includes good safety margins but no more (because increased fuel load increases fuel burn, reduces performance and, on a long-haul flight like to LA, might impede on the commercial payload). So the plan is fuelled up with enough to start, taxi, takeoff, climb, cruise, descend, land, taxi + the required time for diversions and/or holding + safety margins. If you sat on the ground after start-up you may have eaten into the fuel load allocated for taxiing, hence the need to top up before setting off again.

So it's not that the plane was 'short on fuel' in that a few minutes extra taxiing/ground running meant you would have conked out over Nevada if they hadn't refuelled, but that there is a defined amount of fuel that the planned to set off with to be safe (with margin), and that needs to be present.

We weren’t gone or delayed for very long at all, certainly been delayed more in the past without having to refuel

It may be that they needed to recalculate based on the delay & didn't subsequently need any.