B737-800
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Weight And Balance; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Procedure
The flight was weight restricted. We sent the fuel via ACARS at the gate. Ramp ended up off loading cargo due to weight issues. We got the load closeout very quickly which is unusual for a weight restricted flight. We were super heavy on the takeoff roll. We were way too heavy to step climb as planned on our flight plan. Then enroute we were 1;400 lbs. behind on the fuel burn. On weight restricted flights; we usually get minimum fuel so that we can accommodate all the passengers and bags. This flight was an international overwater flight. We don't have many airports to choose from if we have an issue on the flight and we have to land; and most of the airports are one runway operation so our fuel burn is critical. [This was a] possible load issue.
B737-800 Captain reported burning more fuel than planned on an international over-water flight and suspected the aircraft was heavier than the paperwork showed.