Narrative:

En route we were assigned a rerte by ATC that changed our arrival into mco from the leese.otk to the minee.pie. According to the FMS our fuel would be 2000 pounds upon landing with this rerte so we accepted it. On final approach; the fuel quantity indicators turned amber; and we landed with 1700 pounds. It was an uncomfortable situation to be in; and the first time in a yr of being captain that this happened to me. Usually; my goal is to land with at least 3000 pounds; however; this time I didn't add fuel at the gate like I usually do for any flight. I typically take about 500 pounds of extra gas because I am concerned that our dispatchers are not planning us with enough fuel. They do this by filing us at unreasonable flight levels. For instance; filing us at FL340 for a 40 min leg. My theory is that they think by doing this they can have a lighter fuel load and get more passenger on board. Other concerns are that our code-share's policy is not to have hold fuel when there is a planned alternate. I do not think this is a safe policy. So; I usually try to take extra gas. However; because of distrs or time constraints; sometimes I forget to take extra. In the future; I will re-prioritize my preflight duties to have fuel concerns at the top of my list. The ongoing battle will be to avoid distrs that divert my attention from fuel planning. Of course; I also must be able to divide my attention and not fixate on fuel concerns to the detriment of other preflight duties.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARRIVAL REROUTE RESULTS IN LESS THAN DESIRED FUEL AT DESTINATION FOR E145 FLT CREW.

Narrative: ENRTE WE WERE ASSIGNED A RERTE BY ATC THAT CHANGED OUR ARR INTO MCO FROM THE LEESE.OTK TO THE MINEE.PIE. ACCORDING TO THE FMS OUR FUEL WOULD BE 2000 LBS UPON LNDG WITH THIS RERTE SO WE ACCEPTED IT. ON FINAL APCH; THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS TURNED AMBER; AND WE LANDED WITH 1700 LBS. IT WAS AN UNCOMFORTABLE SIT TO BE IN; AND THE FIRST TIME IN A YR OF BEING CAPT THAT THIS HAPPENED TO ME. USUALLY; MY GOAL IS TO LAND WITH AT LEAST 3000 LBS; HOWEVER; THIS TIME I DIDN'T ADD FUEL AT THE GATE LIKE I USUALLY DO FOR ANY FLT. I TYPICALLY TAKE ABOUT 500 LBS OF EXTRA GAS BECAUSE I AM CONCERNED THAT OUR DISPATCHERS ARE NOT PLANNING US WITH ENOUGH FUEL. THEY DO THIS BY FILING US AT UNREASONABLE FLT LEVELS. FOR INSTANCE; FILING US AT FL340 FOR A 40 MIN LEG. MY THEORY IS THAT THEY THINK BY DOING THIS THEY CAN HAVE A LIGHTER FUEL LOAD AND GET MORE PAX ON BOARD. OTHER CONCERNS ARE THAT OUR CODE-SHARE'S POLICY IS NOT TO HAVE HOLD FUEL WHEN THERE IS A PLANNED ALTERNATE. I DO NOT THINK THIS IS A SAFE POLICY. SO; I USUALLY TRY TO TAKE EXTRA GAS. HOWEVER; BECAUSE OF DISTRS OR TIME CONSTRAINTS; SOMETIMES I FORGET TO TAKE EXTRA. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL RE-PRIORITIZE MY PREFLT DUTIES TO HAVE FUEL CONCERNS AT THE TOP OF MY LIST. THE ONGOING BATTLE WILL BE TO AVOID DISTRS THAT DIVERT MY ATTN FROM FUEL PLANNING. OF COURSE; I ALSO MUST BE ABLE TO DIVIDE MY ATTN AND NOT FIXATE ON FUEL CONCERNS TO THE DETRIMENT OF OTHER PREFLT DUTIES.

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.