A B737 was dispatched on a flight to ZZZ with no hold and no alternate fuel on board. They were told...

Narrative:

When we began our descent into ZZZ; we were told to hold for approximately 15-20 mins and I told the controller that we didn't have holding fuel available for that time and would probably have to divert. I contacted dispatch and told them the situation and thought that ZZZ1 or ZZZ2 would be the best choices and ZZZ1 was almost right under us and would prefer that and was given the appropriate information for divert to ZZZ1 (NOTAMS; WX; etc) and then first officer told me that the holding would be only 1 turn and that we would be given clearance back toward ZZZ in about 2-3 mins. I told the controller that if we don't get the turn back toward the airport we would have to declare an emergency due to low fuel. This was because we should have started our divert to ZZZ1 prior to the turn back toward ZZZ and the delay to wait for the turn to ZZZ was going to put us in a low fuel state. I did not 'declare an emergency' only told that I would have to if we didn't get the turn back in the time they stated. Contacted dispatch on the ground and explained that we didn't declare an emergency only that we would have to if we didn't get the turn into the airport as indicated; the duty manager was on the phone and he said don't have to send any reports since I didn't actually declare the emergency but the controllers misinterped my response to the turn back to the airport and rolled the crash fire rescue equipment anyway. Supplemental information from acn 711700: I should mention that ATC did ask the captain for souls on board and fuel; which he stated as 45 mins. We had 5.1 in the chocks. Approaching ZZZ on the arrival; ATC instructed us to hold at intersection due to vip handling. The flight plan showed 3.3 for reserves. Captain elected to insert 5.0 in the FMS. We had 3 mins holding available with that number. I told ZZZ approach that we could do only one 360 degree turn. Approach asked for another 5 mi south. The captain had been coordinating with dispatch; and said to ATC 'if we can't turn north soon; I will have to declare an emergency and divert to ZZZ1.' I suggested he declare minimum fuel. Shortly after; we were turned north and vectored to final. We noticed trucks around during my landing; which was uneventful. I think there was misunderstanding.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 WAS DISPATCHED ON A FLT TO ZZZ WITH NO HOLD AND NO ALTERNATE FUEL ON BOARD. THEY WERE TOLD TO EXPECT HOLD OF 20 MINS SO THEY DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL.

Narrative: WHEN WE BEGAN OUR DSCNT INTO ZZZ; WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD FOR APPROX 15-20 MINS AND I TOLD THE CTLR THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE HOLDING FUEL AVAILABLE FOR THAT TIME AND WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO DIVERT. I CONTACTED DISPATCH AND TOLD THEM THE SITUATION AND THOUGHT THAT ZZZ1 OR ZZZ2 WOULD BE THE BEST CHOICES AND ZZZ1 WAS ALMOST RIGHT UNDER US AND WOULD PREFER THAT AND WAS GIVEN THE APPROPRIATE INFO FOR DIVERT TO ZZZ1 (NOTAMS; WX; ETC) AND THEN FO TOLD ME THAT THE HOLDING WOULD BE ONLY 1 TURN AND THAT WE WOULD BE GIVEN CLRNC BACK TOWARD ZZZ IN ABOUT 2-3 MINS. I TOLD THE CTLR THAT IF WE DON'T GET THE TURN BACK TOWARD THE ARPT WE WOULD HAVE TO DECLARE AN EMER DUE TO LOW FUEL. THIS WAS BECAUSE WE SHOULD HAVE STARTED OUR DIVERT TO ZZZ1 PRIOR TO THE TURN BACK TOWARD ZZZ AND THE DELAY TO WAIT FOR THE TURN TO ZZZ WAS GOING TO PUT US IN A LOW FUEL STATE. I DID NOT 'DECLARE AN EMER' ONLY TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO IF WE DIDN'T GET THE TURN BACK IN THE TIME THEY STATED. CONTACTED DISPATCH ON THE GND AND EXPLAINED THAT WE DIDN'T DECLARE AN EMER ONLY THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO IF WE DIDN'T GET THE TURN INTO THE ARPT AS INDICATED; THE DUTY MGR WAS ON THE PHONE AND HE SAID DON'T HAVE TO SEND ANY RPTS SINCE I DIDN'T ACTUALLY DECLARE THE EMER BUT THE CTLRS MISINTERPED MY RESPONSE TO THE TURN BACK TO THE ARPT AND ROLLED THE CFR ANYWAY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 711700: I SHOULD MENTION THAT ATC DID ASK THE CAPT FOR SOULS ON BOARD AND FUEL; WHICH HE STATED AS 45 MINS. WE HAD 5.1 IN THE CHOCKS. APCHING ZZZ ON THE ARR; ATC INSTRUCTED US TO HOLD AT INTXN DUE TO VIP HANDLING. THE FLT PLAN SHOWED 3.3 FOR RESERVES. CAPT ELECTED TO INSERT 5.0 IN THE FMS. WE HAD 3 MINS HOLDING AVAILABLE WITH THAT NUMBER. I TOLD ZZZ APCH THAT WE COULD DO ONLY ONE 360 DEG TURN. APCH ASKED FOR ANOTHER 5 MI S. THE CAPT HAD BEEN COORDINATING WITH DISPATCH; AND SAID TO ATC 'IF WE CAN'T TURN N SOON; I WILL HAVE TO DECLARE AN EMER AND DIVERT TO ZZZ1.' I SUGGESTED HE DECLARE MINIMUM FUEL. SHORTLY AFTER; WE WERE TURNED N AND VECTORED TO FINAL. WE NOTICED TRUCKS AROUND DURING MY LNDG; WHICH WAS UNEVENTFUL. I THINK THERE WAS MISUNDERSTANDING.

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.

Attributes
ACN	711701
Time
Date	200609
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon tower : abq.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	711701
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	711700
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

A B737 was dispatched on a flight to ZZZ with no hold and no alternate fuel on board. They were told to expect hold of 20 mins so they declared minimum fuel.