Narrative:

Climbing out ATC advised us rides were moderate turbulence til east of the mississippi river; and we should stay at FL310. I briefed the flight attendants to expect turbulence as we had to climb to save fuel. By the time we were at FL390 we did not have a comfortable fuel reserve. I advised ATC and sent dispatch an ACARS message to that effect and asked dispatch to see if they could get us direct to ZZZ1. There was quite some delay in dispatch's response so I told ATC we were 'min fuel' and needed to go straight to ZZZ1 instead of VOR and the arrival. That was approved and we were handed off to another controller; who said he couldn't let us go direct. He asked for our intentions and I said I'll get back to you in a minute. I then sent an ACARS to dispatch asking where they wanted me to divert to for fuel. There was no response from dispatch for some time so I made the decision to land at ZZZ; and sent dispatch another ACARS to that effect. We were handed off to another controller who asked if we could go to ZZZ1 if we went on a different arrival. I said yes and we were reclred. Apparently someone declared an emergency on my behalf without informing me; even though I was very specific that we were min fuel; no emergency. We landed at ZZZ1 with 4000 pounds whereas the original arrival would have had us land with less than 3000 pounds.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319 CAPT DECLARED MIN FUEL WHEN TURB AT HIGHER ALTS FORCED A LOWER CRUISE ALT AND INCREASED THEIR FUEL BURN.

Narrative: CLBING OUT ATC ADVISED US RIDES WERE MODERATE TURB TIL E OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER; AND WE SHOULD STAY AT FL310. I BRIEFED THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO EXPECT TURBULENCE AS WE HAD TO CLB TO SAVE FUEL. BY THE TIME WE WERE AT FL390 WE DID NOT HAVE A COMFORTABLE FUEL RESERVE. I ADVISED ATC AND SENT DISPATCH AN ACARS MESSAGE TO THAT EFFECT AND ASKED DISPATCH TO SEE IF THEY COULD GET US DIRECT TO ZZZ1. THERE WAS QUITE SOME DELAY IN DISPATCH'S RESPONSE SO I TOLD ATC WE WERE 'MIN FUEL' AND NEEDED TO GO STRAIGHT TO ZZZ1 INSTEAD OF VOR AND THE ARRIVAL. THAT WAS APPROVED AND WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER CTLR; WHO SAID HE COULDN'T LET US GO DIRECT. HE ASKED FOR OUR INTENTIONS AND I SAID I'LL GET BACK TO YOU IN A MINUTE. I THEN SENT AN ACARS TO DISPATCH ASKING WHERE THEY WANTED ME TO DIVERT TO FOR FUEL. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM DISPATCH FOR SOME TIME SO I MADE THE DECISION TO LAND AT ZZZ; AND SENT DISPATCH ANOTHER ACARS TO THAT EFFECT. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER CTLR WHO ASKED IF WE COULD GO TO ZZZ1 IF WE WENT ON A DIFFERENT ARRIVAL. I SAID YES AND WE WERE RECLRED. APPARENTLY SOMEONE DECLARED AN EMER ON MY BEHALF WITHOUT INFORMING ME; EVEN THOUGH I WAS VERY SPECIFIC THAT WE WERE MIN FUEL; NO EMER. WE LANDED AT ZZZ1 WITH 4000 LBS WHEREAS THE ORIGINAL ARRIVAL WOULD HAVE HAD US LAND WITH LESS THAN 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.