Narrative:

While preparing the aircraft for departure in ZZZ; a review of the aircraft logbook showed a previous write-up for excessive fuel burn. The write-up indicated that the aircraft burned an additional 100 pounds per 10-12 mins. The write-up was addressed and signed off by maintenance. The aircraft was then flown to ZZZ with no additional write-up. Prior to pushback; we received an ACARS message from our dispatcher letting us know that the aircraft has been reported as burning more gas than usual. We departed ZZZ with no delays and on the fuel schedule. We checked the fuel burn and progress 40 mins into the flight over ZZZ4. The fuel on board indicated 800 pounds low. We notified our dispatcher. He was not surprised to hear from us. We then checked the burn 20 mins later and it showed 1200 pounds low. We knew at this point that at this rate landing in ZZZ3 would be at minimum fuel and not a good idea. We again informed our dispatcher. We then had a plan for continued monitoring of the fuel and possible diversion to ZZZ2. The rate of excessive fuel burn was approximately 750-1000 pounds per hour. We/dispatcher made a joint decision to divert to ZZZ2. The diversion and subsequent landing were uneventful. Fuel on board in ZZZ2 was approximately 12.9. (We left with 40.2.) for grins; we had the dispatcher run a mock flight plan from ZZZ to ZZZ2 using our exact conditions. The comparison between what actually was flown versus the mock plan showed that we burned approximately 3500 pounds more than we should have. Now for a few things that don't add up: 1) we never had an imbal of any kind for the entire flight. 2) the fuel flows were matched between the left and right engines and were normal for the flight conditions. They didn't match what was actually being used. 3) we flew the flight as planned with no deviations at all. 4) on the ground in ZZZ2; there were no indications of any leaks. Maintenance opened every lower panel according to airbus procedures. 5) fuel used between the left and right engine added up to what was actually burned +/-200 pounds.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319 ACR FLT CREW EXPERIENCED EXCESSIVE FUEL BURN ENROUTE AND LANDED FOR MORE FUEL BEFORE CONTINUING TO DEST.

Narrative: WHILE PREPARING THE ACFT FOR DEP IN ZZZ; A REVIEW OF THE ACFT LOGBOOK SHOWED A PREVIOUS WRITE-UP FOR EXCESSIVE FUEL BURN. THE WRITE-UP INDICATED THAT THE ACFT BURNED AN ADDITIONAL 100 LBS PER 10-12 MINS. THE WRITE-UP WAS ADDRESSED AND SIGNED OFF BY MAINT. THE ACFT WAS THEN FLOWN TO ZZZ WITH NO ADDITIONAL WRITE-UP. PRIOR TO PUSHBACK; WE RECEIVED AN ACARS MESSAGE FROM OUR DISPATCHER LETTING US KNOW THAT THE ACFT HAS BEEN RPTED AS BURNING MORE GAS THAN USUAL. WE DEPARTED ZZZ WITH NO DELAYS AND ON THE FUEL SCHEDULE. WE CHKED THE FUEL BURN AND PROGRESS 40 MINS INTO THE FLT OVER ZZZ4. THE FUEL ON BOARD INDICATED 800 LBS LOW. WE NOTIFIED OUR DISPATCHER. HE WAS NOT SURPRISED TO HEAR FROM US. WE THEN CHKED THE BURN 20 MINS LATER AND IT SHOWED 1200 LBS LOW. WE KNEW AT THIS POINT THAT AT THIS RATE LNDG IN ZZZ3 WOULD BE AT MINIMUM FUEL AND NOT A GOOD IDEA. WE AGAIN INFORMED OUR DISPATCHER. WE THEN HAD A PLAN FOR CONTINUED MONITORING OF THE FUEL AND POSSIBLE DIVERSION TO ZZZ2. THE RATE OF EXCESSIVE FUEL BURN WAS APPROX 750-1000 LBS PER HR. WE/DISPATCHER MADE A JOINT DECISION TO DIVERT TO ZZZ2. THE DIVERSION AND SUBSEQUENT LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. FUEL ON BOARD IN ZZZ2 WAS APPROX 12.9. (WE LEFT WITH 40.2.) FOR GRINS; WE HAD THE DISPATCHER RUN A MOCK FLT PLAN FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ2 USING OUR EXACT CONDITIONS. THE COMPARISON BTWN WHAT ACTUALLY WAS FLOWN VERSUS THE MOCK PLAN SHOWED THAT WE BURNED APPROX 3500 LBS MORE THAN WE SHOULD HAVE. NOW FOR A FEW THINGS THAT DON'T ADD UP: 1) WE NEVER HAD AN IMBAL OF ANY KIND FOR THE ENTIRE FLT. 2) THE FUEL FLOWS WERE MATCHED BTWN THE L AND R ENGS AND WERE NORMAL FOR THE FLT CONDITIONS. THEY DIDN'T MATCH WHAT WAS ACTUALLY BEING USED. 3) WE FLEW THE FLT AS PLANNED WITH NO DEVS AT ALL. 4) ON THE GND IN ZZZ2; THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF ANY LEAKS. MAINT OPENED EVERY LOWER PANEL ACCORDING TO AIRBUS PROCS. 5) FUEL USED BTWN THE L AND R ENG ADDED UP TO WHAT WAS ACTUALLY BURNED +/-200 LBS.

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.