Narrative:

During predep operations; I discovered a galley cart/chiller in the forward galley of a B737-300 at location 403. At some point in the past; the B737 fleet was advised that the cart/chiller would be removed from this location for the purpose of reducing weight and fuel burn. We were advised that the operating empty weight of all aircraft would be adjusted and that there should never be a cart/chiller in this location. With this in mind; I advised the station that the cart would need to be removed. The station was not very accommodating. I ended up confirming with maintenance that carts at this location had been removed. The station then had me call the duty manager who was not familiar with this situation. Load planning also got involved; but again; load planning did not understand. The station was busy getting my name; so they could place the delay instead of dealing with the problem at hand. If my understanding is right here are the issues. The cart was removed from the aircraft for fuel savings. The operating empty weights of aircraft were revised to reflect this location as being without a cart/chiller. The load planner uses the operating empty weight as a starting point and adds in fuel and payload. Nowhere is the weight of this cart accounted for. By the way; our cart was loaded with meals. I have no idea the weight of this loaded cart. I had the meals moved to the back galley and the cart was put into pit 3. The station is responsible to account for the contents and weights of the pits; and as this information goes through the load planning I am hopeful that my final weights are correct. This is not the first time that I've had a cart/chiller removed from this forward galley location.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CAPT DISCOVERED A GALLEY CART IN A LOCATION CONTRARY TO CURRENT COMPANY GUIDELINES. REPORTER INSISTED THE CART BE REMOVED.

Narrative: DURING PREDEP OPS; I DISCOVERED A GALLEY CART/CHILLER IN THE FORWARD GALLEY OF A B737-300 AT LOCATION 403. AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST; THE B737 FLEET WAS ADVISED THAT THE CART/CHILLER WOULD BE REMOVED FROM THIS LOCATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF REDUCING WT AND FUEL BURN. WE WERE ADVISED THAT THE OPERATING EMPTY WT OF ALL ACFT WOULD BE ADJUSTED AND THAT THERE SHOULD NEVER BE A CART/CHILLER IN THIS LOCATION. WITH THIS IN MIND; I ADVISED THE STATION THAT THE CART WOULD NEED TO BE REMOVED. THE STATION WAS NOT VERY ACCOMMODATING. I ENDED UP CONFIRMING WITH MAINT THAT CARTS AT THIS LOCATION HAD BEEN REMOVED. THE STATION THEN HAD ME CALL THE DUTY MGR WHO WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS SITUATION. LOAD PLANNING ALSO GOT INVOLVED; BUT AGAIN; LOAD PLANNING DID NOT UNDERSTAND. THE STATION WAS BUSY GETTING MY NAME; SO THEY COULD PLACE THE DELAY INSTEAD OF DEALING WITH THE PROB AT HAND. IF MY UNDERSTANDING IS RIGHT HERE ARE THE ISSUES. THE CART WAS REMOVED FROM THE ACFT FOR FUEL SAVINGS. THE OPERATING EMPTY WTS OF ACFT WERE REVISED TO REFLECT THIS LOCATION AS BEING WITHOUT A CART/CHILLER. THE LOAD PLANNER USES THE OPERATING EMPTY WT AS A STARTING POINT AND ADDS IN FUEL AND PAYLOAD. NOWHERE IS THE WT OF THIS CART ACCOUNTED FOR. BY THE WAY; OUR CART WAS LOADED WITH MEALS. I HAVE NO IDEA THE WT OF THIS LOADED CART. I HAD THE MEALS MOVED TO THE BACK GALLEY AND THE CART WAS PUT INTO PIT 3. THE STATION IS RESPONSIBLE TO ACCOUNT FOR THE CONTENTS AND WTS OF THE PITS; AND AS THIS INFO GOES THROUGH THE LOAD PLANNING I AM HOPEFUL THAT MY FINAL WTS ARE CORRECT. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE HAD A CART/CHILLER REMOVED FROM THIS FORWARD GALLEY LOCATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.