A321
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Other / Unknown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
General None Reported / Taken
Chart Or Publication; Company Policy; Procedure
Flight was released with Contingency Fuel and 300 LBS extra for taxi; 0:35 minutes holding. No alternate. We took off with takeoff minimums plus 300-400 LBS. Flight plan showed initial climb to FL370; then step to FL390. Once airborne the FMC top altitude was FL350. FMC step climb to FL370 was 1:25 into flight. FMC never allowed step to FL390. Flight plan showed FL390 59 NM from our destination. Totally unrealistic. We were approximately 15;500 FT when 59 NM from our destination. Landing fuel on flight plan was 7;400. Actual was approximately 5;900 LBS. The only reason I took this fuel load was because weather was perfect. I will not make this assumption again. I do not have confidence in these flight plans; especially as we enter the winter months. Safety margins are greatly reduced when flight planning does not accurately forecast fuel burn.
An A321 was unable to climb to the flight planned altitude of FL390 and so landed with 1;500 LBS less than release predicted.