Narrative:

Flight was released to bgr from cdg, rereleased to ewr. We were held on ground for a long time. We only got FL330 for atlantic crossing instead of planned FL350. We were rereleased to ewr with minimum fuel at 50 degrees west of 505.5.#. WX good at ewr. We concurred with this and we actually had just 50.5 at 50 degrees west. Planned to land ewr with 15000 pounds. All went well and I called dispatcher on 129.9. Asked if he could request expeditious handling and keep us high. The reverse happened; despite our questioning we were required to be at baf at 16000' and sax at 7000', which is very early. Our ETA was passed and our fuel below 10000#. Approachs were to 22L circle to land 29, and we were given quite extensive vectoring at one stage going in the opp direction. I requested to land on runway 22L. This request was denied at this stage. I did not want additional fuel use and possibility of go around on short runway (29, 6500' approximately). At this time I declared an emergency and controller said, 'thank you, sir,' as if he did not like procedures in effect. After I landed on 22L all succeeding aircraft landed on 22L. We landed with 7000 pounds of fuel. I felt I made an aggressively safe decision under the circumstances and the procedures left something to be desired.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB DECLARED A FUEL EMERGENCY AT THE END OF A FLT FROM CDG TO EWR WITH A RECLRNC OVER BGR.

Narrative: FLT WAS RELEASED TO BGR FROM CDG, RERELEASED TO EWR. WE WERE HELD ON GND FOR A LONG TIME. WE ONLY GOT FL330 FOR ATLANTIC XING INSTEAD OF PLANNED FL350. WE WERE RERELEASED TO EWR WITH MINIMUM FUEL AT 50 DEGS W OF 505.5.#. WX GOOD AT EWR. WE CONCURRED WITH THIS AND WE ACTUALLY HAD JUST 50.5 AT 50 DEGS W. PLANNED TO LAND EWR WITH 15000 LBS. ALL WENT WELL AND I CALLED DISPATCHER ON 129.9. ASKED IF HE COULD REQUEST EXPEDITIOUS HANDLING AND KEEP US HIGH. THE REVERSE HAPPENED; DESPITE OUR QUESTIONING WE WERE REQUIRED TO BE AT BAF AT 16000' AND SAX AT 7000', WHICH IS VERY EARLY. OUR ETA WAS PASSED AND OUR FUEL BELOW 10000#. APCHS WERE TO 22L CIRCLE TO LAND 29, AND WE WERE GIVEN QUITE EXTENSIVE VECTORING AT ONE STAGE GOING IN THE OPP DIRECTION. I REQUESTED TO LAND ON RWY 22L. THIS REQUEST WAS DENIED AT THIS STAGE. I DID NOT WANT ADDITIONAL FUEL USE AND POSSIBILITY OF GAR ON SHORT RWY (29, 6500' APPROX). AT THIS TIME I DECLARED AN EMER AND CTLR SAID, 'THANK YOU, SIR,' AS IF HE DID NOT LIKE PROCS IN EFFECT. AFTER I LANDED ON 22L ALL SUCCEEDING ACFT LANDED ON 22L. WE LANDED WITH 7000 LBS OF FUEL. I FELT I MADE AN AGGRESSIVELY SAFE DECISION UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE PROCS LEFT SOMETHING TO BE DESIRED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.