Definition

Tankering is a practice in which an aircraft carries more fuel than required for its safe flight in order to reduce or avoid refuelling at the destination airport for subsequent flight(s).

There are two types of fuel tankering:

• Full (fuel) tankering, when all the fuel needed for the return/onward flight is uplifted at the departure airport to avoid refuelling at the destination airport.
• Partial (fuel) tankering, when only part of the fuel needed for the return/onward flight is uplifted at the departure airport, followed by partial refuelling at the destination airport.

Operational Tankering

Tankering is an option when it is not possible or desirable to refuel at the destination airport, due to circumstances such as:

• Social disruptions (e.g. industrial action, opening hours)
• Technical failures of refuelling facility
• Fuel shortages
• Contaminated fuel
• Short turnaround time or to avoid delays

Economic Tankering

If the cost of fuel at the destination airport is significantly higher than at the departure airport then tankering fuel may prove economically advantageous. In calculating the economic advantage of tankering, the following needs to be considered:

• The cost in terms of additional fuel burn of carrying the additional fuel.
• The potential implications/risks of flying at a lower altitude as a consequence of the higher weight (e.g. flight time, routing, terrain clearance, weather avoidance, anti/de-icing etc) and any additional fuel required in mitigation.