Narrative:

Departed phl for sfo 8 mins late on aug/tue/93. ATIS indicated possible ATC delays due to severe thunderstorms in ZNY airspace. Clearance was received via ACARS with no mention of gate hold. Pushback clearance given from ground with no delay information. Upon calling for taxi ground advised all phl departures would be stopped for thunderstorms. Total hold for takeoff was 2 plus 35 hours. Much of this time we had to run both engines until ground found a place to hold with engines shut down. Although WX forecast for sfo on arrival was to be VFR we elected to refuel when it became obvious at sfo we would have only 45 mins reserve. Impossible to return to gate at phl. So we arranged for fuel truck to meet us at cargo ramp. Took on extra fuel and updated release. We departed phl for sfo with 45 reserve plus alternate and hold fuel. Smart move by the captain with such an unsure and changing environment to start our flight, with having more than adequate fuel provided plenty of peace of mind. Supplemental information from acn 249751: left gate several mins late with 20 mins holding fuel for flight phl-sfo. After leaving gate and getting in line for takeoff, ATC advised possible 30-40 mins hold on ground. Shut down engines to conserve fuel. ATC later advised delay would be somewhat longer than anticipated. Unable to return to gate, due to airport congestion and all gates being occupied, requested additional fuel. Company advised can refuel in company cargo area. Taxied to cargo area, refueled, continued in line for takeoff. I'm not certain that refueling in cargo area is legal (after thinking about it). As a precaution, I'm filing this report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RAMP OP GND REFUELING PROC OF BEING FUELED AT CARGO RAMP IS QUESTIONED BY PIC AS TO LEGALITY. PAX FLT, TKOF DELAYED DUE TO ENRTE WX.

Narrative: DEPARTED PHL FOR SFO 8 MINS LATE ON AUG/TUE/93. ATIS INDICATED POSSIBLE ATC DELAYS DUE TO SEVERE TSTMS IN ZNY AIRSPACE. CLRNC WAS RECEIVED VIA ACARS WITH NO MENTION OF GATE HOLD. PUSHBACK CLRNC GIVEN FROM GND WITH NO DELAY INFO. UPON CALLING FOR TAXI GND ADVISED ALL PHL DEPS WOULD BE STOPPED FOR TSTMS. TOTAL HOLD FOR TKOF WAS 2 PLUS 35 HRS. MUCH OF THIS TIME WE HAD TO RUN BOTH ENGS UNTIL GND FOUND A PLACE TO HOLD WITH ENGS SHUT DOWN. ALTHOUGH WX FORECAST FOR SFO ON ARR WAS TO BE VFR WE ELECTED TO REFUEL WHEN IT BECAME OBVIOUS AT SFO WE WOULD HAVE ONLY 45 MINS RESERVE. IMPOSSIBLE TO RETURN TO GATE AT PHL. SO WE ARRANGED FOR FUEL TRUCK TO MEET US AT CARGO RAMP. TOOK ON EXTRA FUEL AND UPDATED RELEASE. WE DEPARTED PHL FOR SFO WITH 45 RESERVE PLUS ALTERNATE AND HOLD FUEL. SMART MOVE BY THE CAPT WITH SUCH AN UNSURE AND CHANGING ENVIRONMENT TO START OUR FLT, WITH HAVING MORE THAN ADEQUATE FUEL PROVIDED PLENTY OF PEACE OF MIND. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 249751: LEFT GATE SEVERAL MINS LATE WITH 20 MINS HOLDING FUEL FOR FLT PHL-SFO. AFTER LEAVING GATE AND GETTING IN LINE FOR TKOF, ATC ADVISED POSSIBLE 30-40 MINS HOLD ON GND. SHUT DOWN ENGS TO CONSERVE FUEL. ATC LATER ADVISED DELAY WOULD BE SOMEWHAT LONGER THAN ANTICIPATED. UNABLE TO RETURN TO GATE, DUE TO ARPT CONGESTION AND ALL GATES BEING OCCUPIED, REQUESTED ADDITIONAL FUEL. COMPANY ADVISED CAN REFUEL IN COMPANY CARGO AREA. TAXIED TO CARGO AREA, REFUELED, CONTINUED IN LINE FOR TKOF. I'M NOT CERTAIN THAT REFUELING IN CARGO AREA IS LEGAL (AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT). AS A PRECAUTION, I'M FILING THIS RPT.

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.