Narrative:

Flight plan fuel release was hnl to ZZZ without a re-release point. Once we were over the western us; we received an unsolicited message from dispatch which contained a re-release...even though we were not originally dispatched with a re-release point. As captain I refused this new re-release for several reasons: 1) I'm uncertain that this change; after 4 plus hours of flight; is even legal per FAA. 2) I was not going to accept a re-release point which was past my en route destination which would require a 180 degree turn. How does that save any fuel? 3) clearly dispatch is playing games with the fuel figures. Dispatch deleted my alternate and re-computed my en route fuel without the 5% additional reserve for that portion over the us. Clearly; an alternate was not required this morning. As captain; I am able to make that determination...or we could have made it together; but I must agree to it. Sending a re-release fuel plan after 4 hours of flight is not the way to accomplish this. What if I had been on break and my first officer's made the decision to accept it on their own? 4) dispatch was attempting to 'make fuel' when there wasn't any. He was simply re-labeling fuel figures...taking fuel from my left hand and putting it in my right hand. Clearly; my fuel remaining was not going to change; regardless of the tricks. These 'fuel games' do not create any confidence in the fuel program at air carrier. This is clearly a flight safety issue. Robbing peter to pay paul on fuel figures must stop.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767 CAPT ON AN OVER WATER FLT RECEIVED A RE-RELEASE MESSAGE FROM DISPATCHER THAT WAS NOT ACCURATE; REQUIRED; OR DESIRED.

Narrative: FLT PLAN FUEL RELEASE WAS HNL TO ZZZ WITHOUT A RE-RELEASE POINT. ONCE WE WERE OVER THE WESTERN US; WE RECEIVED AN UNSOLICITED MSG FROM DISPATCH WHICH CONTAINED A RE-RELEASE...EVEN THOUGH WE WERE NOT ORIGINALLY DISPATCHED WITH A RE-RELEASE POINT. AS CAPT I REFUSED THIS NEW RE-RELEASE FOR SEVERAL REASONS: 1) I'M UNCERTAIN THAT THIS CHANGE; AFTER 4 PLUS HOURS OF FLT; IS EVEN LEGAL PER FAA. 2) I WAS NOT GOING TO ACCEPT A RE-RELEASE POINT WHICH WAS PAST MY ENRTE DEST WHICH WOULD REQUIRE A 180 DEG TURN. HOW DOES THAT SAVE ANY FUEL? 3) CLEARLY DISPATCH IS PLAYING GAMES WITH THE FUEL FIGURES. DISPATCH DELETED MY ALTERNATE AND RE-COMPUTED MY ENRTE FUEL WITHOUT THE 5% ADDITIONAL RESERVE FOR THAT PORTION OVER THE US. CLEARLY; AN ALTERNATE WAS NOT REQUIRED THIS MORNING. AS CAPT; I AM ABLE TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION...OR WE COULD HAVE MADE IT TOGETHER; BUT I MUST AGREE TO IT. SENDING A RE-RELEASE FUEL PLAN AFTER 4 HOURS OF FLT IS NOT THE WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS. WHAT IF I HAD BEEN ON BREAK AND MY FO'S MADE THE DECISION TO ACCEPT IT ON THEIR OWN? 4) DISPATCH WAS ATTEMPTING TO 'MAKE FUEL' WHEN THERE WASN'T ANY. HE WAS SIMPLY RE-LABELING FUEL FIGURES...TAKING FUEL FROM MY L HAND AND PUTTING IT IN MY R HAND. CLEARLY; MY FUEL REMAINING WAS NOT GOING TO CHANGE; REGARDLESS OF THE TRICKS. THESE 'FUEL GAMES' DO NOT CREATE ANY CONFIDENCE IN THE FUEL PROGRAM AT ACR. THIS IS CLRLY A FLT SAFETY ISSUE. ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL ON FUEL FIGURES MUST STOP.

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.