Narrative:

Was given holding of approximately 45 mins. Determined we did not have that much fuel and advised ATC that we would not be able to hold. ATC asked if we were declaring minimum fuel and I elected to declare minimum fuel at that time. Was able to get slot for no delay arrival. WX was clear and visibility unlimited. Landed normal with flight planned fuel on board. An early descent by center to 4000 ft below flight plan resulted in a fuel burn that left us with no holding fuel. WX was clear and no hold anticipated. Hold was given due to slot saturation. When ATC was advised we were minimum fuel they cancelled hold and we continued in to ZZZ. I had asked dispatch to have ATC desk work something out so we would not have to proceed to alternate and they did. The system worked as planned and we landed with the original flight planned arrival fuel. Good job by everyone. Dispatch could keep a closer look at the arrival slot saturation and if it is getting close try to get priority for international arrs that are approaching minimum fuel.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A330 CAPT REPORTS DECLARING MINIMUM FUEL AFTER BEING ISSUED HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS; AND RECEIVING CLEARANCE TO THE HEAD OF THE LINE.

Narrative: WAS GIVEN HOLDING OF APPROX 45 MINS. DETERMINED WE DID NOT HAVE THAT MUCH FUEL AND ADVISED ATC THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HOLD. ATC ASKED IF WE WERE DECLARING MINIMUM FUEL AND I ELECTED TO DECLARE MINIMUM FUEL AT THAT TIME. WAS ABLE TO GET SLOT FOR NO DELAY ARR. WX WAS CLR AND VISIBILITY UNLIMITED. LANDED NORMAL WITH FLT PLANNED FUEL ON BOARD. AN EARLY DSCNT BY CTR TO 4000 FT BELOW FLT PLAN RESULTED IN A FUEL BURN THAT LEFT US WITH NO HOLDING FUEL. WX WAS CLR AND NO HOLD ANTICIPATED. HOLD WAS GIVEN DUE TO SLOT SATURATION. WHEN ATC WAS ADVISED WE WERE MINIMUM FUEL THEY CANCELLED HOLD AND WE CONTINUED IN TO ZZZ. I HAD ASKED DISPATCH TO HAVE ATC DESK WORK SOMETHING OUT SO WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO PROCEED TO ALTERNATE AND THEY DID. THE SYS WORKED AS PLANNED AND WE LANDED WITH THE ORIGINAL FLT PLANNED ARR FUEL. GOOD JOB BY EVERYONE. DISPATCH COULD KEEP A CLOSER LOOK AT THE ARR SLOT SATURATION AND IF IT IS GETTING CLOSE TRY TO GET PRIORITY FOR INTL ARRS THAT ARE APCHING MINIMUM FUEL.

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.