Narrative:

Flight plans are issued; according to written guidance; without regard for the reality of the day. Fuel planning allows for minimum change. Flight plans are never flown according to the written plan as to altitude; route; speed which all change in actual flight. Other carriers convince commercial radio to demand and force changes in flight which the flight plan does not take into account. A combination of minimum fuel flight planning with unrealistic flight plans combine to create hazardous fuel situations. On the flight to ZZZ the alternate is listed as 'nil' and when dispatch is queried states that the plan is based on the taf and this is all that is required. I requested and received an extra 1000 pounds of fuel and upon arrival into the ZZZ area we were required to conduct an IFR letdown to an ILS to runway 34 in icing conditions and when we broke out at 6500 ft found ourselves in a snow shower situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CAPTAIN FEELS ACR FLT PLANS FAIL TO REFLECT REAL WORLD FUEL REQUIREMENTS.

Narrative: FLT PLANS ARE ISSUED; ACCORDING TO WRITTEN GUIDANCE; WITHOUT REGARD FOR THE REALITY OF THE DAY. FUEL PLANNING ALLOWS FOR MINIMUM CHANGE. FLT PLANS ARE NEVER FLOWN ACCORDING TO THE WRITTEN PLAN AS TO ALT; RTE; SPD WHICH ALL CHANGE IN ACTUAL FLT. OTHER CARRIERS CONVINCE COMMERCIAL RADIO TO DEMAND AND FORCE CHANGES IN FLT WHICH THE FLT PLAN DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT. A COMBINATION OF MINIMUM FUEL FLT PLANNING WITH UNREALISTIC FLT PLANS COMBINE TO CREATE HAZARDOUS FUEL SITUATIONS. ON THE FLT TO ZZZ THE ALTERNATE IS LISTED AS 'NIL' AND WHEN DISPATCH IS QUERIED STATES THAT THE PLAN IS BASED ON THE TAF AND THIS IS ALL THAT IS REQUIRED. I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED AN EXTRA 1000 LBS OF FUEL AND UPON ARR INTO THE ZZZ AREA WE WERE REQUIRED TO CONDUCT AN IFR LETDOWN TO AN ILS TO RWY 34 IN ICING CONDITIONS AND WHEN WE BROKE OUT AT 6500 FT FOUND OURSELVES IN A SNOW SHOWER SITUATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.