Lets take a sample widebody flight: leg1europe to caribbean airport one, then leg2 to caribbean airport two (100-150nm) and then leg3 return to europe. How and when the aircraft would be fueled for leg 2? Would it be just for leg2, resulting in extremly light TOGW and unnecessary overperformance or would it be pre-fueled for two legs? Which ones: 1-2 or 2-3? 
 

Anyone know the airlines’ practice? Obviously i understand it maybe aircraft type dependent.

 

Regards,

Kris

 

Thinking back a few year when we used to fly the 747 around the Caribbean I think it went something like this...

LGW-BGI-refuel and change crew in BGI and do BGI-UVF-BGI (or BGI-ANU-BGI) then refuel and change crews again for the BGI-LGW leg.
It was something like that, we did all sorts of combinations of trips around the Caribbean back in the early 2000’s

That would be the most economical way of doing it as you don’t want to be flying around (tankering) Excess fuel unless you have to as it’ll cost you more fuel/money. Also , certainly with the 747 although you’d have the fuel tank capacity to only refuel once in BGI then Fly to an intermediary airport then back to LGW you’d be unable do to max landing weight issues.

Answering your specific scenario, you’d refuel in airport 2 for the leg back to Europe as to refuel at the first airport would give you MLW issues. 
Depending on the airports in question though you may well find the aircraft is cleaned and catered at its first port of call in the Caribbean and then refuelled at its second. 

Edited August 7, 20205 yr by jon b

Thanks Jon.