Narrative:

We ground held for 20 minutes due to weather on northern departure routes -- shut one engine down to save fuel. After takeoff we were given detouring vectors for weather then sequencing vectors for jfk enroute. We approached the terminal area down 1;200 pounds of fuel. Jfk weather VFR; no alternate required. At 50-60 miles from landing; we got holding instructions for camrn intersection with an efc of xb:00Z. We enter the hold at xa:32 with 6;200 pounds of fuel. On the outbound leg we determine that holding until the efc is not an option and check lga; ewr and phl weather. All are VFR but new york is closer so we plan to land at jfk or divert to lga or ewr. I declare minimum fuel on the inbound leg and contact dispatch about a possible divert. When I return to the frequency; we were cleared towards jfk on abut a 35 mile base leg for runway 31R. At about 10 miles out on final; the controller gives us vectors out of the pattern for an inbound emergency aircraft. I re-state minimum fuel and the controller wants to know how much fuel we have onboard and if we are able to divert to our alternate. I state unable to divert; and 42 minutes of fuel remaining. He re-clears us for the visual approach to runway 31R; we land uneventfully; and we block in with 4;300 pounds of fuel. Although prepared to; at no time did we declare an emergency; nor did ATC request one. Perhaps I should have declared an emergency at camrn to avoid confusion on short final.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An air carrier aircraft was given holding and some delaying vectors while on the descent to JFK. An emergency was not declared because an expedited clearance was given after a minimum fuel declaration was stated.

Narrative: We ground held for 20 minutes due to weather on northern departure routes -- shut one engine down to save fuel. After takeoff we were given detouring vectors for weather then sequencing vectors for JFK enroute. We approached the terminal area down 1;200 LBS of fuel. JFK weather VFR; no alternate required. At 50-60 miles from landing; we got holding instructions for CAMRN intersection with an EFC of XB:00Z. We enter the hold at XA:32 with 6;200 LBS of fuel. On the outbound leg we determine that holding until the EFC is not an option and check LGA; EWR and PHL weather. All are VFR but New York is closer so we plan to land at JFK or divert to LGA or EWR. I declare minimum fuel on the inbound leg and contact dispatch about a possible divert. When I return to the frequency; we were cleared towards JFK on abut a 35 mile base leg for Runway 31R. At about 10 miles out on final; the Controller gives us vectors out of the pattern for an inbound emergency aircraft. I re-state minimum fuel and the Controller wants to know how much fuel we have onboard and if we are able to divert to our alternate. I state unable to divert; and 42 minutes of fuel remaining. He re-clears us for the visual approach to Runway 31R; we land uneventfully; and we block in with 4;300 LBS of fuel. Although prepared to; at no time did we declare an emergency; nor did ATC request one. Perhaps I should have declared an emergency at CAMRN to avoid confusion on short final.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.