this post was submitted on 02 Oct 2023
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The airlines always complain about the cost of fuel, I'm surprised they can tolerate this. 18,000 ghost flights for Lufthansa? Just last month I sat in a 100 degree cabin for about 45 minutes before take- off because the APU needed to be turned on by a ground unit. The pilot said he called for the truck. It never came. Later I asked a pilot friend of mine and he said they can power that unit themselves but it uses fuel and the airline probably has a policy against it. Screw you Virgin Atlantic!
The apu itself is located in the tail and cannot be air started. If the apu is bad and engine can be started with an air truck.
On all planes?
I'd think so. They may have been talking about a ground air conditioning cart.
Edit to add: APUs burn fuel, are noisy, and some airports are very picky about their use, rightly so. But typically these airports offer ground air conditioning. If not, you ask them to start the APU when it gets too hot in the plane.
I worked for an airline that was picky about it, but the bottom line was a riot on board was worse than burning fuel. Never been told no by the airport in reasonable conditions.