Request the FSX fuel truck with Shift+F and baggage carts with Shift+E then 2. Fix missing vehicles, unsupported doors and stand-routing problems.
In FSX and FSX: Steam Edition, park at a serviced gate or ramp, apply the parking brake and stop the engines. Press Shift+F to request the fuel truck. To call baggage vehicles, press and release Shift+E, then quickly press 2; the aircraft and airport must support a cargo exit and ground vehicles.
What are the FSX fuel truck and baggage commands?
The default shortcuts are Shift+F for fuel and Shift+E followed by 2 for the aircraft’s second configured exit.
| Service | Default command | FSX action |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel truck | Shift+F | Dispatches a fuel vehicle through the airport’s ground-vehicle network. |
| Baggage carts | Shift+E, release, then 2 | Opens exit 2. When that exit is a supported cargo door, FSX may send a baggage tug and belt loader. |
The baggage shortcut is not a dedicated “request baggage” command. It works indirectly by opening the relevant cargo exit. Fuel delivered by the default truck changes the aircraft’s fuel quantity, but baggage handling is visual and does not add payload.
These commands work in boxed FSX and FSX: Steam Edition. The Acceleration expansion is not required for them.
How do I request the fuel truck and baggage carts in the right order?
Request ground services only after the aircraft is fully parked and secured at a stand with vehicle access.
- Choose a suitable parking position: Use a gate or ramp at a larger airport for the best chance of service. A major default airport is useful when testing because some small or add-on airfields have no vehicle routes.
- Secure the aircraft: Stop on the stand, set the parking brake, bring the throttles to idle and shut down the engines. Complex add-on aircraft may also require their own chocks, beacon or door settings.
- Call the fuel truck: Press
Shift+Fonce. The vehicle may spawn some distance away and must drive along the airport’s defined service roads, so allow time for it to arrive. - Request baggage handling: Press and release
Shift+E, then immediately press2on the main number row. Treat this as a sequence, not as one three-key chord. - Remain parked: Do not begin taxi or pushback while service vehicles are beside the aircraft. Close the doors and let the vehicles clear first.
The order between fuel and baggage is not strict; remaining stationary is. Pushback should come last. Our explanation of the proper FSX ground-service and pushback sequence covers the related commands and turnaround order.
Why won’t the fuel truck or baggage carts appear?
Missing service vehicles usually indicate disabled airport traffic, incompatible aircraft exits or incomplete scenery routing rather than a damaged FSX installation.
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| No service vehicles appear anywhere | Airport vehicle density is set to None | Raise it above None in the simulator’s traffic settings. Higher values add traffic but can reduce frame rate. |
| The fuel truck is requested but never arrives | The stand is not connected to a service-vehicle route | Move to another gate, preferably at a major default airport. |
| The truck approaches but stops short | Poor stand geometry, an obstructed route or incompatible scenery | Centre the aircraft on the parking mark, remove nearby traffic if possible, or use an adjacent stand. |
| The cargo door opens but no carts arrive | The stand, airport or aircraft lacks compatible baggage support | Test with a default airliner at a large default airport. |
| The keyboard command does nothing | The default assignment was changed, duplicated or intercepted by an add-on | Check the keyboard assignments under the simulator’s controls settings. |
The quickest test here is to use a default airliner at a large default airport. If the service works there, the original aircraft, parking stand or add-on scenery is the source of the problem. For route-specific faults, follow our checklist for a fuel truck that will not reach the aircraft.
Why does Shift+E then 2 open the wrong door?
Shift+E followed by 2 selects the aircraft’s second configured exit, not a universal cargo-door or baggage command.
A mistake we see often is holding all three keys together or waiting too long before pressing 2. If the main passenger door opens by itself, close it and retry: press and release Shift+E, then quickly use 2 on the main keyboard rather than the numeric keypad.
The exit order comes from the aircraft’s configuration. Some aircraft assign exit 2 to a cargo door, some use it for another passenger door, and others do not define a second exit at all. In those cases, the standard baggage sequence cannot call the expected vehicles.
Can I refuel in FSX without waiting for the truck?
Yes. Open Aircraft > Fuel and Payload from the FSX menu bar and set the tank quantities directly.
Press Alt if the menu bar is hidden. Use this method when you need a precise dispatch quantity or when the airport cannot route a fuel truck; use Shift+F when you want the visible ground-service sequence. Our guide to other ways to refuel an aircraft in FSX explains the alternatives and their limitations.
Do add-on aircraft use the same baggage command?
Add-on aircraft do not always use FSX’s default exit and ground-service logic.
A complex aircraft may provide door controls, a load manager, an MCDU or a separate ground-services panel. Use the aircraft’s own system when its documentation requires it, especially if the FSX fuel or payload menu is overwritten by a custom fuel model. Running default and custom ground services together can produce duplicated or overlapping vehicles.
If Shift+E then 2 works with a default airliner but not the add-on, the add-on’s exit mapping is the deciding factor. For more detailed handling than the basic FSX vehicles provide, see our options for fuller freeware ground services in FSX.