Narrative:

On a late arrival/quick turn; realized flight was dispatched with only 20 mins of taxi with a need to deice due to a brief snow storm that arrived shortly after we touched down. Contacted dispatcher but asked operations for 300 pounds of fuel be added while I worked details out with dispatch. Communication issues of exact need prevented a quick fix but finally got the ok to change fuel after the fueler had finished. Required add 285 pounds; fuel added 300 pounds; to accommodate long taxi to deice bay and taxi back to departure runway. Did not leave gate until I received ok from dispatch but closed door and let pushback crew prep airplane while we waited for our response over ACARS. Once flight arrived; I contacted dispatch to discuss only to find that the dispatcher was incensed over the added fuel before ok was given. After digging as to reason for his anger; I was advised that company management has been placing a list of dispatchers with higher fuel uptake than 'planned' including taxi fuel and hold fuel. This 'list' is posted and performance is based on whom is saving more gas. The dispatcher advised that management will not allow them to add any fuel to any column other than the 'captain add' regardless of WX and conditions. This is not the first time I have heard this from a dispatcher and would explain the issues with changes to fuel needs on releases.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E135 CAPTAIN REPORTS DISPATCHER ANGER WHEN FUEL IS ADDED TO PROVIDE FOR TAXI TO DE-ICE. REPORTS COMPANY IS MONITORING DISPATCHERS WHO ADD FUEL FOR UNIQUE OPERATIONAL REASONS.

Narrative: ON A LATE ARR/QUICK TURN; REALIZED FLT WAS DISPATCHED WITH ONLY 20 MINS OF TAXI WITH A NEED TO DEICE DUE TO A BRIEF SNOW STORM THAT ARRIVED SHORTLY AFTER WE TOUCHED DOWN. CONTACTED DISPATCHER BUT ASKED OPS FOR 300 LBS OF FUEL BE ADDED WHILE I WORKED DETAILS OUT WITH DISPATCH. COM ISSUES OF EXACT NEED PREVENTED A QUICK FIX BUT FINALLY GOT THE OK TO CHANGE FUEL AFTER THE FUELER HAD FINISHED. REQUIRED ADD 285 LBS; FUEL ADDED 300 LBS; TO ACCOMMODATE LONG TAXI TO DEICE BAY AND TAXI BACK TO DEP RWY. DID NOT LEAVE GATE UNTIL I RECEIVED OK FROM DISPATCH BUT CLOSED DOOR AND LET PUSHBACK CREW PREP AIRPLANE WHILE WE WAITED FOR OUR RESPONSE OVER ACARS. ONCE FLT ARRIVED; I CONTACTED DISPATCH TO DISCUSS ONLY TO FIND THAT THE DISPATCHER WAS INCENSED OVER THE ADDED FUEL BEFORE OK WAS GIVEN. AFTER DIGGING AS TO REASON FOR HIS ANGER; I WAS ADVISED THAT COMPANY MGMNT HAS BEEN PLACING A LIST OF DISPATCHERS WITH HIGHER FUEL UPTAKE THAN 'PLANNED' INCLUDING TAXI FUEL AND HOLD FUEL. THIS 'LIST' IS POSTED AND PERFORMANCE IS BASED ON WHOM IS SAVING MORE GAS. THE DISPATCHER ADVISED THAT MGMNT WILL NOT ALLOW THEM TO ADD ANY FUEL TO ANY COLUMN OTHER THAN THE 'CAPT ADD' REGARDLESS OF WX AND CONDITIONS. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HEARD THIS FROM A DISPATCHER AND WOULD EXPLAIN THE ISSUES WITH CHANGES TO FUEL NEEDS ON RELEASES.

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.