Narrative:

Flight plan release fuel load at gate was 10.4. I called dispatch and requested 12.0. I stated my reasons as lga being an airport replete with delays. I had an edct time of XA57 local but my experience indicated that these edct times were of no value. I felt leaving the gate with 10.4 fob would put me 'in the yellow' (volant model). Sure enough; after pushing off the gate and requesting single engine taxi; the ground controller advised 'unofficial ground stop to lga.' I advised ATC that I would have to return to the gate since the 'vacuum pump' for the lavatories was MEL'ed (the lavatories only worked in the air). I wasn't about to situation in a run-up pad for an undetermined amount of time without lavatories for my passenger. I asked the first officer to call operations and request an available gate. I called my dispatcher and advised him of our predicament and he coordinated with the ATC desk and we got airborne at approximately XB30 local. En route we received extend vectors off the korry 3 (standard operation for that time of day). We received numerous speed adjustments. We got to lga at approximately XC40 local. Planned fuel burn on the flight plan was 3580 pounds. Actual burn was 5320 pounds. I follow company fuel saving policies; single engine taxi; fly managed speed; etc. But 'common sense' should be part of the equation when flight planning fuel. I have no problem with minimum fuel loads from lga to ZZZ; but from ZZZ to lga let's consider the realities of the ATC system in which we operate. Event occurred because flight plan burn and actual burn were 1800 pounds different. Event occurred because no consideration was given to the realities of the lga ATC congestion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PILOT REPORTS THAT HIS ACR WILL NOT ALLOW HIM TO CARRY EXTRA FUEL INTO LGA AND AS A RESULT OF WX DELAYS THE FLT'S FUEL BURN WAS 1;800# OVER FORECAST.

Narrative: FLT PLAN RELEASE FUEL LOAD AT GATE WAS 10.4. I CALLED DISPATCH AND REQUESTED 12.0. I STATED MY REASONS AS LGA BEING AN ARPT REPLETE WITH DELAYS. I HAD AN EDCT TIME OF XA57 LCL BUT MY EXPERIENCE INDICATED THAT THESE EDCT TIMES WERE OF NO VALUE. I FELT LEAVING THE GATE WITH 10.4 FOB WOULD PUT ME 'IN THE YELLOW' (VOLANT MODEL). SURE ENOUGH; AFTER PUSHING OFF THE GATE AND REQUESTING SINGLE ENG TAXI; THE GND CTLR ADVISED 'UNOFFICIAL GND STOP TO LGA.' I ADVISED ATC THAT I WOULD HAVE TO RETURN TO THE GATE SINCE THE 'VACUUM PUMP' FOR THE LAVATORIES WAS MEL'ED (THE LAVATORIES ONLY WORKED IN THE AIR). I WASN'T ABOUT TO SIT IN A RUN-UP PAD FOR AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF TIME WITHOUT LAVATORIES FOR MY PAX. I ASKED THE FO TO CALL OPS AND REQUEST AN AVAILABLE GATE. I CALLED MY DISPATCHER AND ADVISED HIM OF OUR PREDICAMENT AND HE COORDINATED WITH THE ATC DESK AND WE GOT AIRBORNE AT APPROX XB30 LCL. ENRTE WE RECEIVED EXTEND VECTORS OFF THE KORRY 3 (STANDARD OP FOR THAT TIME OF DAY). WE RECEIVED NUMEROUS SPD ADJUSTMENTS. WE GOT TO LGA AT APPROX XC40 LCL. PLANNED FUEL BURN ON THE FLT PLAN WAS 3580 LBS. ACTUAL BURN WAS 5320 LBS. I FOLLOW COMPANY FUEL SAVING POLICIES; SINGLE ENG TAXI; FLY MANAGED SPD; ETC. BUT 'COMMON SENSE' SHOULD BE PART OF THE EQUATION WHEN FLT PLANNING FUEL. I HAVE NO PROB WITH MINIMUM FUEL LOADS FROM LGA TO ZZZ; BUT FROM ZZZ TO LGA LET'S CONSIDER THE REALITIES OF THE ATC SYS IN WHICH WE OPERATE. EVENT OCCURRED BECAUSE FLT PLAN BURN AND ACTUAL BURN WERE 1800 LBS DIFFERENT. EVENT OCCURRED BECAUSE NO CONSIDERATION WAS GIVEN TO THE REALITIES OF THE LGA ATC CONGESTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.