Narrative:

An aircraft en route cyyz-mem was entering ZME airspace from over the pxv VORTAC. The aircraft received a traffic management rerte from the WLDER4 arrival into memphis to the GILMORE3 (GQE3) arrival via walnut ridge; ar (arg). The captain acknowledged the rerte; and approximately 10 mins after receiving the rerte told ATC he would be fuel critical by the time he landed at memphis. ATC advised the pilot to stand by; and actions were started by ATC controllers to route the aircraft via the WLDER4 arrival (previous route). An ATC supervisor was notified; and he phoned ZME traffic management and requested the aircraft back over the wlder 4 arrival. After waiting approximately 1 - 1 1 /2 mins for an answer from traffic management the final answer was no; leave the aircraft on the GQE3 arrival. ATC controllers then worked to have the aircraft proceed direct gilmore (gqe); instead of arg; to give somewhat of a shortcut to memphis. ATC manual 7110.65 states any pilot declaring minimum fuel or fuel critical will not receive any unnecessary delays. Traffic management at ZME compromised safety to allow for 'arrival gate management at the memphis airport.' the passenger and the flight crew were totally disregarded in this poor decision; safety and good judgement were also disregarded; and the best service was not provided due to this decision.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZME CTLR QUESTIONED TFC MGMNT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE THE RERTE OF A MEM ARR AFTER THE FLT CREW'S MINIMUM FUEL ADVISORY.

Narrative: AN ACFT ENRTE CYYZ-MEM WAS ENTERING ZME AIRSPACE FROM OVER THE PXV VORTAC. THE ACFT RECEIVED A TFC MGMNT RERTE FROM THE WLDER4 ARR INTO MEMPHIS TO THE GILMORE3 (GQE3) ARR VIA WALNUT RIDGE; AR (ARG). THE CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED THE RERTE; AND APPROX 10 MINS AFTER RECEIVING THE RERTE TOLD ATC HE WOULD BE FUEL CRITICAL BY THE TIME HE LANDED AT MEMPHIS. ATC ADVISED THE PLT TO STAND BY; AND ACTIONS WERE STARTED BY ATC CTLRS TO RTE THE ACFT VIA THE WLDER4 ARR (PREVIOUS RTE). AN ATC SUPVR WAS NOTIFIED; AND HE PHONED ZME TFC MGMNT AND REQUESTED THE ACFT BACK OVER THE WLDER 4 ARR. AFTER WAITING APPROX 1 - 1 1 /2 MINS FOR AN ANSWER FROM TFC MGMNT THE FINAL ANSWER WAS NO; LEAVE THE ACFT ON THE GQE3 ARR. ATC CTLRS THEN WORKED TO HAVE THE ACFT PROCEED DIRECT GILMORE (GQE); INSTEAD OF ARG; TO GIVE SOMEWHAT OF A SHORTCUT TO MEMPHIS. ATC MANUAL 7110.65 STATES ANY PLT DECLARING MINIMUM FUEL OR FUEL CRITICAL WILL NOT RECEIVE ANY UNNECESSARY DELAYS. TFC MGMNT AT ZME COMPROMISED SAFETY TO ALLOW FOR 'ARR GATE MGMNT AT THE MEMPHIS ARPT.' THE PAX AND THE FLT CREW WERE TOTALLY DISREGARDED IN THIS POOR DECISION; SAFETY AND GOOD JUDGEMENT WERE ALSO DISREGARDED; AND THE BEST SVC WAS NOT PROVIDED DUE TO THIS DECISION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.