Via iStockphoto / @ajahxixi TikTok
A JetBlue passenger recorded a pilot announcing that their plane was several thousand pounds overweight. How is this possible?
A woman says she heard a frightening announcement on a JetBlue flight. Here’s why it’s not as scary as it sounds.
When a pilot makes an unexpected announcement, it’s almost never good news. Even though most flights are able to takeoff and land without issue, and accidents are exceedingly rare, the occasional incident is enough to shake up a nervous flyer. This is why many flyers get a little nervous when the captain hops on the intercom to make a surprise announcement.
One woman recently documented a strange message she overheard on a JetBlue flight. How can an aircraft be several tons overweight, and what does it mean?
A Scary Announcement
In a video with over 28,000 views, TikTok user @ajahxixi documents a terrifying announcement she heard while on a JetBlue flight.
While the pilot remains calm, something is clearly not right.
“With the temperature and such and the amount of fuel that we’re having to carry back up to New York, we’re showing that we’re about 5,000 pounds overweight,” explains the captain over the intercom. “I know right now that the aircraft is uncomfortable.”
The captain then announces that they will deplane the aircraft. He adds that this could be beneficial for the passengers, as the temperature in the plane has slowly been rising.
“We do know it’s very difficult in the airplane right now. The APU is doing everything it can to cool it,” the pilot explains. “We do appreciate your patience and cooperation.”
So, what’s going on here? And is it really as scary as it sounds?
How Does A Flight Get So Overweight?
Hearing this, some may wonder how 5,000 extra pounds were added to the aircraft.
This isn’t really what happened. Instead, conditions may have changed that would make the plane 5,000 pounds too heavy to fly. It’s a bit complicated, but we can explain.
Basically, airplanes operate best and at their safest within specific weight limits. These limits account for the weight of the plane itself, passengers, luggage, cargo, and fuel.
However, the weather also plays a role in this takeoff weight. Given that hot air is less dense than cold air, warm conditions can make it more difficult for an airplane’s engines to produce thrust and wings to generate lift.
This means that an airline that may be able to take off perfectly fine on a cool day may struggle to take off on a hot one.
Typically, these conditions are accounted for when preparing the flight. That said, sudden changes in weather or other flight conditions may mean that a plane needs to suddenly refigure itself to ensure a safe flight.
Is 5,000 Pounds A Lot?
If you’re somehow lifting it at the gym, yes. But in terms of a flight? Not really.
A full flight weighs a lot. According to Pilot Institute, a Boeing 737 MAX 10 has a maximum takeoff weight of 203,000 pounds, or 101 tons. An Airbus A380 is even more impressive. Its maximum takeoff weight is an incredible 1.2 million pounds.
This is why removing 5,000 pounds from an aircraft, while significant, isn’t the biggest deal in the world. Assuming that every checked bag weighs the 50-pound maximum, that means just removing 100 bags and placing them on a different flight.
Alternatively, a crew could remove 25 200-pound passengers and their belongings, dump a couple hundred gallons of fuel, or do some combination of the three.
While this will have a more pronounced impact on a smaller flight, most passengers will be able to get to their destination without issue — and those who cannot will likely be rebooked or compensated for the trouble.
Viewers Say They Trust The Pilot
In the comments section, users said that, even if they found this situation annoying, they would much rather the pilot and crew err on the side of caution.
“Yep let me off. Yall figure it out and call me when it’s safe to be airborne!” exclaimed a user. “I’m in ZERO rush to be anywhere, even if I am!”
“Immediately get me off,” stated another. “[I don’t] play like that. i never heard that before.”
“Hearing it sounds scary but when you work in aviation you will have a better understanding of how planes can take off, fly and land,” noted a third.
BroBible reached out to JetBlue via email and the TikToker via TikTok direct message and comment.