Another thing airlines have to consider when fuelling airplanes is the cost. In 2019 alone, the International Air Transport Association reported, the global aviation industry spent $188 billion in fuel. A lot of it has to with fluctuating oil prices, but it also has a lot to do with how many planes fly per year. With fuel prices growing, airlines have to consider where they can cut costs and still be safe. And before you think fuel costs and weight only apply to commercial aircraft, smaller planes have to think about that too. It's one of the things student pilots are first taught.
But has there ever been a time when an airplane carried too much fuel? It's rare, but some aircraft choose to dump fuel, wrote Business Insider. A flight from Shanghai to New York had to basically discharge 65,000 pounds of fuel in the sky before landing in Anchorage, Alaska. A passenger experienced a medical emergency, and the plane had to land quickly. Heavy aircraft, such as one with enough fuel in its tank to make it New York, can get damaged if they have to land. Usually, by the time it reaches its final destination, the plane is light enough to touch down safely.
Maybe planning a road trip really is far less of a hassle than getting ready to fly a plane.
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