Narrative:

The flight plan from ZZZ1 to ZZZ2 as issued by my dispatcher had me landing ZZZ2 with 6600 pounds fuel; or about 45 mins. The forecast called for thunderstorms along my route near ZZZ3 and thunderstorms upon arrival at ZZZ2. I informed my dispatcher that this was not enough fuel under the circumstances and added 2500 pounds at ZZZ1. While en route; we were forced to deviation around storms near ZZZ3 and subsequently had to hold for about 30 mins at the ZZZ4 intersection on the ZZZ5 arrival to ZZZ2. We left the holding pattern and were then vectored extensively at FL230 and speed restr to 210 KTS. With 1 hour fuel remaining; and thunderstorms over the ZZZ2 airport; we declared a minimum fuel advisory to approach control. The controller told us we had 80 NM flying to the airport and would then be #12 for the VOR/DME runway X approach. With this information; I calculated we would land with about 30 mins of fuel; and told the controller he would have to do better than that. The controller then took it upon himself to declare an emergency for us. I told him I didn't want to declare an emergency but he said that was the only way he could move us ahead of other traffic and get priority for landing. This was done and we were vectored close in for the approach and ahead of about 10 other airplanes. Thanks to priority handling we landed with 6800 pounds of fuel which is about 50 mins.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLT CREW HAS REQUEST PRIORITY HANDLING DUE TO FUEL CONSIDERATION; CTLR DECLARES FUEL EMER AND VECTORS ACFT FOR LNDG.

Narrative: THE FLT PLAN FROM ZZZ1 TO ZZZ2 AS ISSUED BY MY DISPATCHER HAD ME LNDG ZZZ2 WITH 6600 LBS FUEL; OR ABOUT 45 MINS. THE FORECAST CALLED FOR TSTMS ALONG MY RTE NEAR ZZZ3 AND TSTMS UPON ARR AT ZZZ2. I INFORMED MY DISPATCHER THAT THIS WAS NOT ENOUGH FUEL UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND ADDED 2500 LBS AT ZZZ1. WHILE ENRTE; WE WERE FORCED TO DEV AROUND STORMS NEAR ZZZ3 AND SUBSEQUENTLY HAD TO HOLD FOR ABOUT 30 MINS AT THE ZZZ4 INTXN ON THE ZZZ5 ARR TO ZZZ2. WE LEFT THE HOLDING PATTERN AND WERE THEN VECTORED EXTENSIVELY AT FL230 AND SPD RESTR TO 210 KTS. WITH 1 HR FUEL REMAINING; AND TSTMS OVER THE ZZZ2 ARPT; WE DECLARED A MINIMUM FUEL ADVISORY TO APCH CTL. THE CTLR TOLD US WE HAD 80 NM FLYING TO THE ARPT AND WOULD THEN BE #12 FOR THE VOR/DME RWY X APCH. WITH THIS INFO; I CALCULATED WE WOULD LAND WITH ABOUT 30 MINS OF FUEL; AND TOLD THE CTLR HE WOULD HAVE TO DO BETTER THAN THAT. THE CTLR THEN TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF TO DECLARE AN EMER FOR US. I TOLD HIM I DIDN'T WANT TO DECLARE AN EMER BUT HE SAID THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY HE COULD MOVE US AHEAD OF OTHER TFC AND GET PRIORITY FOR LNDG. THIS WAS DONE AND WE WERE VECTORED CLOSE IN FOR THE APCH AND AHEAD OF ABOUT 10 OTHER AIRPLANES. THANKS TO PRIORITY HANDLING WE LANDED WITH 6800 LBS OF FUEL WHICH IS ABOUT 50 MINS.

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.