Narrative:

While en route to sfo at FL350 center revised our routing to fmg-eni-ggz arrival. I informed center that due to my fuel remaining I would be unable to accept that routing and requested to remain on my original filed routing via modesto and the modesto arrival to sfo. Center asked if I was at 'minimum fuel or emergency fuel.' I replied that while not in an emergency at this time I felt that I could not accept the rerte clearance. I stated that if I was to be forced to accept the rerouting it was possible to be placed in an emergency later on. I based my decision on the following factors. My flight plan called for 3800 pounds of fuel for 45 min far required reserve. Due to higher than forecast headwinds, previous vectors and speed increases for traffic by other ATC sectors and approximately 300 pounds of usable fuel in the center tank my FMC predicted fuel on arrival at sfo to be 4300 pounds. However the rerte clearance was a longer distance over the ground and was more directly into the wind resulting in a predicted landing fuel at sfo of 3600 pounds. I advised ATC (when asked fuel remaining in time) of 1 hour and 20 min fob. We then received what appeared to be expedited routing of direct mod, direct dedes, direct sfo from subsequent controllers. We landed with 4200 pounds. I telephoned oak center area manager and spoke to a supervisor. He informed me that he ordered us to be treated as a fuel emergency. This was his decision, not mine. By remaining on original route I never felt the need to declare an emergency and did not do so. All I did was refuse to accept a rerte clearance that could have placed me in an emergency situation. Several factors, each small in themselves, but taken as a whole caused actual fuel consumed to be higher than planned.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG REFUSED FLOW CTL REROUTE AND IMPLIED A FUEL EMERGENCY. ATC GAVE PRIORITY HANDLING AND CAPT UPSET.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE TO SFO AT FL350 CTR REVISED OUR RTING TO FMG-ENI-GGZ ARR. I INFORMED CTR THAT DUE TO MY FUEL REMAINING I WOULD BE UNABLE TO ACCEPT THAT RTING AND REQUESTED TO REMAIN ON MY ORIGINAL FILED RTING VIA MODESTO AND THE MODESTO ARR TO SFO. CTR ASKED IF I WAS AT 'MINIMUM FUEL OR EMER FUEL.' I REPLIED THAT WHILE NOT IN AN EMER AT THIS TIME I FELT THAT I COULD NOT ACCEPT THE RERTE CLRNC. I STATED THAT IF I WAS TO BE FORCED TO ACCEPT THE REROUTING IT WAS POSSIBLE TO BE PLACED IN AN EMER LATER ON. I BASED MY DECISION ON THE FOLLOWING FACTORS. MY FLT PLAN CALLED FOR 3800 LBS OF FUEL FOR 45 MIN FAR REQUIRED RESERVE. DUE TO HIGHER THAN FORECAST HEADWINDS, PREVIOUS VECTORS AND SPD INCREASES FOR TFC BY OTHER ATC SECTORS AND APPROX 300 LBS OF USABLE FUEL IN THE CTR TANK MY FMC PREDICTED FUEL ON ARR AT SFO TO BE 4300 LBS. HOWEVER THE RERTE CLRNC WAS A LONGER DISTANCE OVER THE GND AND WAS MORE DIRECTLY INTO THE WIND RESULTING IN A PREDICTED LNDG FUEL AT SFO OF 3600 LBS. I ADVISED ATC (WHEN ASKED FUEL REMAINING IN TIME) OF 1 HR AND 20 MIN FOB. WE THEN RECEIVED WHAT APPEARED TO BE EXPEDITED RTING OF DIRECT MOD, DIRECT DEDES, DIRECT SFO FROM SUBSEQUENT CTLRS. WE LANDED WITH 4200 LBS. I TELEPHONED OAK CTR AREA MGR AND SPOKE TO A SUPVR. HE INFORMED ME THAT HE ORDERED US TO BE TREATED AS A FUEL EMER. THIS WAS HIS DECISION, NOT MINE. BY REMAINING ON ORIGINAL RTE I NEVER FELT THE NEED TO DECLARE AN EMER AND DID NOT DO SO. ALL I DID WAS REFUSE TO ACCEPT A RERTE CLRNC THAT COULD HAVE PLACED ME IN AN EMER SITUATION. SEVERAL FACTORS, EACH SMALL IN THEMSELVES, BUT TAKEN AS A WHOLE CAUSED ACTUAL FUEL CONSUMED TO BE HIGHER THAN PLANNED.

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.