Narrative:

Center informed us to expect holding for ZZZ and authority/authorized speed reduction. We were handed to ZZZ approach who informed us airport was closed and to fly to xxxxx intersection (east of the field) for holding. Fuel on entering hold was 9000 pounds. We informed dispatch via ACARS our fob; hold; and etc; received message back from dispatch 'thanks.' no 'bingo' fuel number supplied. We were first to enter the hold before an air carrier X flight. ATC released the air carrier X flight first and we were released from holding next. We were vectored for the approach to runway 1L behind air carrier X. We were cleared for the approach and were descending on the ILS when ATC canceled our clearance because 'they did not think' that air carrier X would be able to clear the runway in time. At this point we were at 2900 ft and descending. We were given vectors to downwind again for runway 1L. I noted fuel on board as 7200 pounds. We were cleared for the approach behind 2 rj type aircraft who reported braking action as 'fair to poor.' ATC once again canceled our approach clearance and gave us instructions to hold as the airport was once again closed due to 'braking action.' I determined at this time that we had insufficient fuel to proceed to our planned alternate due to all the low altitude holding and low altitude vectoring and subsequent go around's. I informed the captain of my concerns and it was agreed that we should proceed to ZZZ1 instead of ZZZ2. We informed ATC of our intentions and minimum fuel status and we were given vectors to ZZZ1. Because of the low altitude required by ATC en route to ZZZ1 I felt it was prudent to declare a fuel emergency while en route to ZZZ1 to ensure priority handling. We were vectored to ZZZ1 and landed without further incident. Very little could have been done as this was a very dynamic situation with many rapidly changing factors. However; we should have been released first from holding as we were first to enter holding. ZZZ ATC seemed to be having a very tough time determining the condition of their runway and did not allow adequate distance between arriving aircraft. Dispatch did not provide us with a minimum fuel number to divert. Flight crew should have gone to ZZZ2 after first missed approach although we assumed we were going to land at ZZZ as the preceding aircraft were all landing. Flight crew and dispatch were communicating via ACARS but at low altitude this was not very reliable. I would suggest that either 2 alternates be provided at time of dispatch or an alternate that is closer to planned destination as 175 mi to ZZZ2 does not give flight crews much room to maneuver with. Supplemental information from acn 813995: realizing that ZZZ2 is further than other suitable airports we ACARS a query to dispatch about a divert to ZZZ1. At the holding point; we immediately requested vectors to the filed alternate while we checked WX at ZZZ1. Still no answer from dispatch. Declared minimum fuel and vectors to ZZZ1. We were given extensive vectors around ZZZ3 due to traffic volume. Declared emergency fuel. Landed safely at ZZZ1 with 3.9 fuel. Better and more timely communications between dispatchers and pilots.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FIRST OFFICER DESCRIBES WEATHER DIVERSION AFTER HOLDING AND TWO APPROACHES AT DESTINATION AIRPORT. MINIMUM FUEL IS DECLARED ON THE WAY TO ALTERNATE.

Narrative: CTR INFORMED US TO EXPECT HOLDING FOR ZZZ AND AUTH SPD REDUCTION. WE WERE HANDED TO ZZZ APCH WHO INFORMED US ARPT WAS CLOSED AND TO FLY TO XXXXX INTXN (E OF THE FIELD) FOR HOLDING. FUEL ON ENTERING HOLD WAS 9000 LBS. WE INFORMED DISPATCH VIA ACARS OUR FOB; HOLD; AND ETC; RECEIVED MESSAGE BACK FROM DISPATCH 'THANKS.' NO 'BINGO' FUEL NUMBER SUPPLIED. WE WERE FIRST TO ENTER THE HOLD BEFORE AN ACR X FLT. ATC RELEASED THE ACR X FLT FIRST AND WE WERE RELEASED FROM HOLDING NEXT. WE WERE VECTORED FOR THE APCH TO RWY 1L BEHIND ACR X. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH AND WERE DSNDING ON THE ILS WHEN ATC CANCELED OUR CLRNC BECAUSE 'THEY DID NOT THINK' THAT ACR X WOULD BE ABLE TO CLR THE RWY IN TIME. AT THIS POINT WE WERE AT 2900 FT AND DSNDING. WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS TO DOWNWIND AGAIN FOR RWY 1L. I NOTED FUEL ON BOARD AS 7200 LBS. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH BEHIND 2 RJ TYPE ACFT WHO RPTED BRAKING ACTION AS 'FAIR TO POOR.' ATC ONCE AGAIN CANCELED OUR APCH CLRNC AND GAVE US INSTRUCTIONS TO HOLD AS THE ARPT WAS ONCE AGAIN CLOSED DUE TO 'BRAKING ACTION.' I DETERMINED AT THIS TIME THAT WE HAD INSUFFICIENT FUEL TO PROCEED TO OUR PLANNED ALTERNATE DUE TO ALL THE LOW ALT HOLDING AND LOW ALT VECTORING AND SUBSEQUENT GAR'S. I INFORMED THE CAPT OF MY CONCERNS AND IT WAS AGREED THAT WE SHOULD PROCEED TO ZZZ1 INSTEAD OF ZZZ2. WE INFORMED ATC OF OUR INTENTIONS AND MINIMUM FUEL STATUS AND WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS TO ZZZ1. BECAUSE OF THE LOW ALT REQUIRED BY ATC ENRTE TO ZZZ1 I FELT IT WAS PRUDENT TO DECLARE A FUEL EMER WHILE ENRTE TO ZZZ1 TO ENSURE PRIORITY HANDLING. WE WERE VECTORED TO ZZZ1 AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. VERY LITTLE COULD HAVE BEEN DONE AS THIS WAS A VERY DYNAMIC SITUATION WITH MANY RAPIDLY CHANGING FACTORS. HOWEVER; WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RELEASED FIRST FROM HOLDING AS WE WERE FIRST TO ENTER HOLDING. ZZZ ATC SEEMED TO BE HAVING A VERY TOUGH TIME DETERMINING THE CONDITION OF THEIR RWY AND DID NOT ALLOW ADEQUATE DISTANCE BTWN ARRIVING ACFT. DISPATCH DID NOT PROVIDE US WITH A MINIMUM FUEL NUMBER TO DIVERT. FLT CREW SHOULD HAVE GONE TO ZZZ2 AFTER FIRST MISSED APCH ALTHOUGH WE ASSUMED WE WERE GOING TO LAND AT ZZZ AS THE PRECEDING ACFT WERE ALL LNDG. FLT CREW AND DISPATCH WERE COMMUNICATING VIA ACARS BUT AT LOW ALT THIS WAS NOT VERY RELIABLE. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT EITHER 2 ALTERNATES BE PROVIDED AT TIME OF DISPATCH OR AN ALTERNATE THAT IS CLOSER TO PLANNED DEST AS 175 MI TO ZZZ2 DOES NOT GIVE FLT CREWS MUCH ROOM TO MANEUVER WITH. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 813995: REALIZING THAT ZZZ2 IS FURTHER THAN OTHER SUITABLE ARPTS WE ACARS A QUERY TO DISPATCH ABOUT A DIVERT TO ZZZ1. AT THE HOLDING POINT; WE IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE FILED ALTERNATE WHILE WE CHKED WX AT ZZZ1. STILL NO ANSWER FROM DISPATCH. DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL AND VECTORS TO ZZZ1. WE WERE GIVEN EXTENSIVE VECTORS AROUND ZZZ3 DUE TO TFC VOLUME. DECLARED EMER FUEL. LANDED SAFELY AT ZZZ1 WITH 3.9 FUEL. BETTER AND MORE TIMELY COMS BTWN DISPATCHERS AND PLTS.

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.