Slower Domestic Flights Attempt to Save on Fuel

Soaring prices of jet fuel have prompted Virgin Blue to consider joining Jetstar and Qantas in flying slower to save fuel and airline profits.

Heather Jeffrey, a spokeswoman for Virgin Blue, said the fleet’s aircraft had all been fitted with winglets to reduce aerodynamic drag and was also considering slowing down the speed of descent to reduce fuel use.

Virgin chief Brett Godfrey said that fuel comprised only 15 percent of the company’s cost when it first started operating in Australia and now has risen to 35 percent.

A Qantas spokesman said for the past two years "variable speeds" had already been implemented in the airline to save fuel.

"The speed of aircraft is now varied on a flight-by-flight and port-by-port basis and accounting for daily flying conditions," he said. "This practice has led to fuel savings and lower carbon emissions without any significant impact on flight times."
Last month Jetstar started flying more slowly adding several minutes to flights from Sydney to Brisbane and Melbourne and flights from the east coast to Perth.

According to The Australian, Simon Westaway, a spokesman for Jetstar confirmed slower flying trials had been conducted to combat the 12 month 68 percent rise in fuel prices.
"The challenge for airlines is that fuel costs are at record levels," he said. "We have been conducting a trial where aircraft flights are taking a bit longer and burning less fuel. Early indications are that we are seeing positive savings in terms of fuel."

Mr Westaway said Jetstar would have to examine the impacts that flying slower would have on the airline’s schedules and performance before releasing an official slow-fly policy.

Jetstar pilots have reduced the average cruise speed of Airbus A320s from 863km/h to 843km/h. Although, one of the problems with flying slower is the extra maintenance cost for the longer time in the air.

Fuel comprised 17 percent of Jetstar’s costs in 2004 and now is more than 30 percent, with expectations to rise to 40 percent in the next financial year.
"Jetstar is forecasting fuel to cost around $490 million for the 2007-08 financial year," he said.