Narrative:

Routing was changed airborne to take us north to the arrival. Upon reaching ZZZ1; ATC gave us holding instructions and we held for 45 minutes. Approach gave us vectors to runway xy at ord and we commenced the approach. Winds were reported as 360 degrees at 25 KTS gusting to 29 KTS. One aircraft ahead of us landed and another went around. I asked the tower for a wind check as we approached 1000 ft. Winds were reported at 010 degrees 25 KTS gusting to 32 KTS with light rain. We elected to go around at that time. Go around fuel was approximately 4200 pounds. At 4000 ft we contacted approach who started to vector us to runway 4 and I declared minimum fuel since we used a lot of fuel with both the holding and missed approach. After receiving the first vector from approach control; they told us that we would be vectored to runway xy. I asked for a wind check which was 360 degrees at 30 KTS. Having just done a missed approach to the reciprocal runway; I asked for runway xx. Approach said to standby; and then said that runway xx was not available. I asked why and they said that it was due to excessive traffic. I knew that if I flew another missed approach to runway xy that I would essentially be without further options. I told them that I needed runway xx and approach stated 'you're not going to get it.' I then declared an emergency and demanded runway xx. I was then vectored to that runway for an uneventful landing. Landing fuel at touchdown was approximately 3000 pounds.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-500 FLT CREW ; WITH FUEL BECOMING CRITICAL DUE TO LENGTHY HOLD; A GAR DUE TO GUSTING REAR QUARTERING CROSSWINDS; FIND IT NECESSARY TO DECLARE AN EMER IN ORDER TO GAIN ACCESS TO AN APPROPRIATE RWY.

Narrative: ROUTING WAS CHANGED AIRBORNE TO TAKE US NORTH TO THE ARRIVAL. UPON REACHING ZZZ1; ATC GAVE US HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AND WE HELD FOR 45 MINUTES. APPROACH GAVE US VECTORS TO RWY XY AT ORD AND WE COMMENCED THE APPROACH. WINDS WERE REPORTED AS 360 DEGS AT 25 KTS GUSTING TO 29 KTS. ONE AIRCRAFT AHEAD OF US LANDED AND ANOTHER WENT AROUND. I ASKED THE TOWER FOR A WIND CHECK AS WE APPROACHED 1000 FT. WINDS WERE REPORTED AT 010 DEGS 25 KTS GUSTING TO 32 KTS WITH LIGHT RAIN. WE ELECTED TO GO AROUND AT THAT TIME. GO AROUND FUEL WAS APPROXIMATELY 4200 LBS. AT 4000 FT WE CONTACTED APPROACH WHO STARTED TO VECTOR US TO RWY 4 AND I DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL SINCE WE USED A LOT OF FUEL WITH BOTH THE HOLDING AND MISSED APPROACH. AFTER RECEIVING THE FIRST VECTOR FROM APPROACH CONTROL; THEY TOLD US THAT WE WOULD BE VECTORED TO RWY XY. I ASKED FOR A WIND CHECK WHICH WAS 360 DEGS AT 30 KTS. HAVING JUST DONE A MISSED APPROACH TO THE RECIPROCAL RUNWAY; I ASKED FOR RWY XX. APPROACH SAID TO STANDBY; AND THEN SAID THAT RWY XX WAS NOT AVAILABLE. I ASKED WHY AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS DUE TO EXCESSIVE TRAFFIC. I KNEW THAT IF I FLEW ANOTHER MISSED APPROACH TO RWY XY THAT I WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE WITHOUT FURTHER OPTIONS. I TOLD THEM THAT I NEEDED RWY XX AND APPROACH STATED 'YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT.' I THEN DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND DEMANDED RWY XX. I WAS THEN VECTORED TO THAT RUNWAY FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING. LANDING FUEL AT TOUCHDOWN WAS APPROXIMATELY 3000 LBS.

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.