Does the A321 have a fuel jettison capability?

• A. Yes, from both wing and center tanks.
• B. Yes, on wing tanks only.
• C. Yes, but only from center tank.
• D. No.

Answer: (D)

Fuel jettison is a system that allows an airplane to dump fuel in flight to quickly reduce landing weight. The A321 does not have this capability. There are no dump valves, no dump nozzles, and no cockpit control for dumping fuel on the A321 family. Adding a fuel-dump system would add weight, complexity, and certification considerations that aren’t aligned with the aircraft’s typical mission profile, which is designed around efficient short- to medium-range operations.

In practice, that means pilots plan fuel loads to stay within acceptable landing weights or make fuel stops when a lighter landing weight is required. For long-range needs, operators either choose routes that allow for planned fuel burn or use aircraft designed with fuel-dump capability. Some other airplanes do have this capability, but the A321 does not.