Narrative:

The dispatcher advised me that 'management' has directed all dispatchers not to make any changes to the preplanned and greatly reduced holding fuel. This new holding fuel policy was recently initiated to reduce holding fuel to half that which was previously used -- without the advice of the flight crews. This is an accident waiting to happen as many are unaware of the shorting of hold fuel in their release. Release for flight pulled by gate agents and brought to aircraft for quick turn. Noticed holding fuel limited to 10 mins. Unwilling to accept only 10 mins of hold fuel on flts in and out of this area due to regular ATC delays on flight in previous weeks. Contacted dispatcher and asked for 20 mins of hold fuel. Dispatcher agreed and release was reprinted by gate folks. When reviewed in cockpit; found that dispatcher added fuel not in holding row but in a 'captain add fuel' row. As this did not reflect the pilot/dispatcher agreement nor the proper column for the need as agreed; I contacted dispatch and refused the release until the flight paperwork was dispatched properly to reflect the fuel in the needed column. Company management must not interfere in captain's authority/authorized nor drastically change the profile company holding fuel without widely publicizing their intentions. Dispatchers must be free to document fuel needs in the appropriate columns without interference from management.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E135 CAPTAIN REPORTS THAT; AFTER PREVIOUSLY CUTTING STANDARD FUEL RESERVES FOR HOLDING IN HALF; COMPANY NOW PRESSURES DISPATCHERS AND FLT CREWS TO NOT INCREASE DISPATCH FUEL FOR OPERATIONAL REASONS.

Narrative: THE DISPATCHER ADVISED ME THAT 'MGMNT' HAS DIRECTED ALL DISPATCHERS NOT TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE PREPLANNED AND GREATLY REDUCED HOLDING FUEL. THIS NEW HOLDING FUEL POLICY WAS RECENTLY INITIATED TO REDUCE HOLDING FUEL TO HALF THAT WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY USED -- WITHOUT THE ADVICE OF THE FLT CREWS. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN AS MANY ARE UNAWARE OF THE SHORTING OF HOLD FUEL IN THEIR RELEASE. RELEASE FOR FLT PULLED BY GATE AGENTS AND BROUGHT TO ACFT FOR QUICK TURN. NOTICED HOLDING FUEL LIMITED TO 10 MINS. UNWILLING TO ACCEPT ONLY 10 MINS OF HOLD FUEL ON FLTS IN AND OUT OF THIS AREA DUE TO REGULAR ATC DELAYS ON FLT IN PREVIOUS WKS. CONTACTED DISPATCHER AND ASKED FOR 20 MINS OF HOLD FUEL. DISPATCHER AGREED AND RELEASE WAS REPRINTED BY GATE FOLKS. WHEN REVIEWED IN COCKPIT; FOUND THAT DISPATCHER ADDED FUEL NOT IN HOLDING ROW BUT IN A 'CAPT ADD FUEL' ROW. AS THIS DID NOT REFLECT THE PLT/DISPATCHER AGREEMENT NOR THE PROPER COLUMN FOR THE NEED AS AGREED; I CONTACTED DISPATCH AND REFUSED THE RELEASE UNTIL THE FLT PAPERWORK WAS DISPATCHED PROPERLY TO REFLECT THE FUEL IN THE NEEDED COLUMN. COMPANY MGMNT MUST NOT INTERFERE IN CAPT'S AUTH NOR DRASTICALLY CHANGE THE PROFILE COMPANY HOLDING FUEL WITHOUT WIDELY PUBLICIZING THEIR INTENTIONS. DISPATCHERS MUST BE FREE TO DOCUMENT FUEL NEEDS IN THE APPROPRIATE COLUMNS WITHOUT INTERFERENCE FROM MGMNT.

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.