Narrative:

I was the captain on a flight from ord to ewr within the last 30 days. Inbound to ewr near williamsport, PA, we were issued holding instructions. Since the WX was perfect, we had the minimum required fuel plus a little, so I could not hold for very long. I asked why we were holding, and center told us that a military aircraft with government officials on board was scheduled to takeoff, and was late. Therefore, the inbounds to ewr were being delayed. Delayed because the government officials were taking off. The result of the absurd rule was disastrous for airplanes and passenger going to ewr. Several aircraft diverted, because the WX was so beautiful that no one carried much extra gas. Unbelievable. Why is there such a rule? Government officials demand high security, and I am all for that, but not at the expense of thousands of passenger. It created a safety hazard for every aircraft that held and/or diverted, and what did it accomplish for the government officials? I cannot possibly see what it did for their security. This ridiculous procedure must be changed immediately for the good of aviation safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT FLC COMPLAINS THAT THE DEP OF A MIL ACFT CAUSED ACFT TO ENTER UNPLANNED HOLDING PATTERNS AND SOME HAD TO DIVERT FOR FUEL CONSIDERATIONS. THE RPTR EXPRESSES DOUBT THAT THIS IS REASONABLE AND SAFE OR THAT IT ENHANCES GOV OFFICIALS' SECURITY.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT ON A FLT FROM ORD TO EWR WITHIN THE LAST 30 DAYS. INBOUND TO EWR NEAR WILLIAMSPORT, PA, WE WERE ISSUED HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS. SINCE THE WX WAS PERFECT, WE HAD THE MINIMUM REQUIRED FUEL PLUS A LITTLE, SO I COULD NOT HOLD FOR VERY LONG. I ASKED WHY WE WERE HOLDING, AND CTR TOLD US THAT A MIL ACFT WITH GOV OFFICIALS ON BOARD WAS SCHEDULED TO TKOF, AND WAS LATE. THEREFORE, THE INBOUNDS TO EWR WERE BEING DELAYED. DELAYED BECAUSE THE GOV OFFICIALS WERE TAKING OFF. THE RESULT OF THE ABSURD RULE WAS DISASTROUS FOR AIRPLANES AND PAX GOING TO EWR. SEVERAL ACFT DIVERTED, BECAUSE THE WX WAS SO BEAUTIFUL THAT NO ONE CARRIED MUCH EXTRA GAS. UNBELIEVABLE. WHY IS THERE SUCH A RULE? GOV OFFICIALS DEMAND HIGH SECURITY, AND I AM ALL FOR THAT, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF THOUSANDS OF PAX. IT CREATED A SAFETY HAZARD FOR EVERY ACFT THAT HELD AND/OR DIVERTED, AND WHAT DID IT ACCOMPLISH FOR THE GOV OFFICIALS? I CANNOT POSSIBLY SEE WHAT IT DID FOR THEIR SECURITY. THIS RIDICULOUS PROC MUST BE CHANGED IMMEDIATELY FOR THE GOOD OF AVIATION SAFETY.

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.