Narrative:

Flight XXX to ord was proceeding as normal until about 50 NM south of oxi. Aircraft in front of us began to hold at halie intersection and we were told to anticipate the same. We slowed up and when we were about to enter the hold, ATC advised us that our efc would be in 1 hour 20 mins. Mdw was our original alternate. Dispatch wanted us to go to fwa if we had to divert. By the time we had the numbers for fwa, we did not have enough fuel to go there. Shortly thereafter, due to minimal hold fuel, we diverted to mdw. After extensive vectoring around and away from mdw, we were forced to declare minimum fuel. We landed at mdw with an uncomfortably low amount of fuel. We refueled and proceeded to ord without further incident. The WX at ord had been bad all day yet it seems no one was given more than minimal holding fuel. This is a dangerous situation. I think the focus on fuel savings and maximizing passenger revenue is putting flight crews into very tough sits.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF EMJ RECEIVE EXCESSIVE DELAY TO ORD AND DIVERT. FLT CREW FEEL ACR POLICY REGARDING FUEL CONSERVATION IS TOO RESTRICTIVE.

Narrative: FLT XXX TO ORD WAS PROCEEDING AS NORMAL UNTIL ABOUT 50 NM S OF OXI. ACFT IN FRONT OF US BEGAN TO HOLD AT HALIE INTXN AND WE WERE TOLD TO ANTICIPATE THE SAME. WE SLOWED UP AND WHEN WE WERE ABOUT TO ENTER THE HOLD, ATC ADVISED US THAT OUR EFC WOULD BE IN 1 HR 20 MINS. MDW WAS OUR ORIGINAL ALTERNATE. DISPATCH WANTED US TO GO TO FWA IF WE HAD TO DIVERT. BY THE TIME WE HAD THE NUMBERS FOR FWA, WE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO GO THERE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, DUE TO MINIMAL HOLD FUEL, WE DIVERTED TO MDW. AFTER EXTENSIVE VECTORING AROUND AND AWAY FROM MDW, WE WERE FORCED TO DECLARE MINIMUM FUEL. WE LANDED AT MDW WITH AN UNCOMFORTABLY LOW AMOUNT OF FUEL. WE REFUELED AND PROCEEDED TO ORD WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE WX AT ORD HAD BEEN BAD ALL DAY YET IT SEEMS NO ONE WAS GIVEN MORE THAN MINIMAL HOLDING FUEL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SIT. I THINK THE FOCUS ON FUEL SAVINGS AND MAXIMIZING PAX REVENUE IS PUTTING FLT CREWS INTO VERY TOUGH SITS.

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.