Narrative:

Mia ramp. Ferry fuel of 6600 pounds planned to save company $13. This also caused flight to be weight restr. With dispatch consent, reduced ferry fuel to 3000 pounds. Told fueler to stop at 40000 pounds total fuel. Originally he did, but then someone else told him to give us the original 6600 pounds of ferry fuel. My concern is: are we taking into account aircraft performance when we compute ferry fuel cost factors? Ferry fuel raises V speeds, reduces maximum altitude which can cause a less comfortable ride if WX is present, and raise approach speeds which all add to the wear and tear on the airframe, landing gear, brakes and tires which cost money also. My other thought on ferry fuel is the airports that should be excluded from the program. Only 7000 ft of runway at lga and other airports like dca and sna should not be included. My other major concern with this incident is the captain's authority/authorized issue. I would like to know who told the fueler to override my instructions and what that person was thinking.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B757 COMPLAINS ABOUT COMPANY REQUIREMENT TO FERRY FUEL QUANTITY ON SCHEDULED FLTS SINCE IT REDUCES SOME ACFT PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY FOR NO REQUIRED FLT OPS ANTICIPATED.

Narrative: MIA RAMP. FERRY FUEL OF 6600 LBS PLANNED TO SAVE COMPANY $13. THIS ALSO CAUSED FLT TO BE WT RESTR. WITH DISPATCH CONSENT, REDUCED FERRY FUEL TO 3000 LBS. TOLD FUELER TO STOP AT 40000 LBS TOTAL FUEL. ORIGINALLY HE DID, BUT THEN SOMEONE ELSE TOLD HIM TO GIVE US THE ORIGINAL 6600 LBS OF FERRY FUEL. MY CONCERN IS: ARE WE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ACFT PERFORMANCE WHEN WE COMPUTE FERRY FUEL COST FACTORS? FERRY FUEL RAISES V SPDS, REDUCES MAX ALT WHICH CAN CAUSE A LESS COMFORTABLE RIDE IF WX IS PRESENT, AND RAISE APCH SPDS WHICH ALL ADD TO THE WEAR AND TEAR ON THE AIRFRAME, LNDG GEAR, BRAKES AND TIRES WHICH COST MONEY ALSO. MY OTHER THOUGHT ON FERRY FUEL IS THE ARPTS THAT SHOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM THE PROGRAM. ONLY 7000 FT OF RWY AT LGA AND OTHER ARPTS LIKE DCA AND SNA SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED. MY OTHER MAJOR CONCERN WITH THIS INCIDENT IS THE CAPT'S AUTH ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO TOLD THE FUELER TO OVERRIDE MY INSTRUCTIONS AND WHAT THAT PERSON WAS THINKING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.