Narrative:

I was the captain and pilot flying of a transatlantic flight to ZZZZ. We eventually were forced to divert to ZZZZ1 (due to delays) and had to declare an emergency to avoid lengthy vectors on our diversion. We had departed approximately 20 minutes late but expected to arrive in ZZZZ 7 minutes early with some 20000 lbs of fuel. The weather in ZZZZ was MVFR and we had ZZZZ1 as an alternate. Early in the flight we fell slightly behind the howgozit; at one point 2+ hours into the flight being about 1500 lbs down on fuel and 4 minutes late. However; much of that time and fuel had been made up prior to coast-out crossing the atlantic. I was on the middle break and when I came back to the cockpit we had just started across the ocean and had recently received an extensive reroute from gander. It would eventually add about 25 minutes to our flight; necessitating a route some 300 nm south of the filed one. We had to spend a significant amount of time and attention getting the details of the flight from that point on from dispatch and ATC. As is common; the european domestic clearance was not given until after ocean crossing and dispatch was task saturated with several other issues associated with ours and other reroutes. We eventually were re-dispatched with fuel on board at the (new) re-dispatch point being only 200 lbs above required. Upon arrival in the ZZZZ terminal area; ATC informed us of delays of about 30 minutes and were assigned holding at a point equidistant between ZZZZ and ZZZZ1. We informed them that due to the previous reroute; we had only a little more than 5 minutes to hold. ATC informed us that short of our declaration of emergency; they couldn't help facilitate an earlier arrival in ZZZZ. After the 5 minutes expired; we asked them if we would encounter any delays if we were to divert to ZZZZ1. They responded after checking that none would be encountered. After further review of fuel required to get to ZZZZ1; we held several more minutes and eventually requested to divert. Upon switching frequencies to the ZZZZ1 approach controller; we were informed that we would be vectored 40 miles and eventually be landing on runway xxl. We were #11 for the approach! I informed him of what the ZZZZ controller said regarding delays into ZZZZ1; and he said the same thing as the other controller -- nothing he could do without an emergency declaration. We then declared an emergency since our fuel state could have gotten dangerously low if we had accepted the vectors that he was planning for us. As it was; he moved us up to #4 after we declared and we landed with about 42 minutes of fuel at our weight (8700 lbs on touchdown). Far 30-minute fuel of 6300 lbs at our planned landing weight at ZZZZ.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Destined for ZZZZ; transatlantic B777 diverts to ZZZZ1 account low fuel due to reroute and terminal delays. Must declare fuel emergency to obtain expedited handling for landing.

Narrative: I was the Captain and Pilot Flying of a transatlantic flight to ZZZZ. We eventually were forced to divert to ZZZZ1 (due to delays) and had to declare an emergency to avoid lengthy vectors on our diversion. We had departed approximately 20 minutes late but expected to arrive in ZZZZ 7 minutes early with some 20000 lbs of fuel. The weather in ZZZZ was MVFR and we had ZZZZ1 as an alternate. Early in the flight we fell slightly behind the HOWGOZIT; at one point 2+ hours into the flight being about 1500 lbs down on fuel and 4 minutes late. However; much of that time and fuel had been made up prior to coast-out crossing the Atlantic. I was on the middle break and when I came back to the cockpit we had just started across the ocean and had recently received an extensive reroute from Gander. It would eventually add about 25 minutes to our flight; necessitating a route some 300 nm south of the filed one. We had to spend a significant amount of time and attention getting the details of the flight from that point on from Dispatch and ATC. As is common; the European domestic clearance was not given until after ocean crossing and Dispatch was task saturated with several other issues associated with ours and other reroutes. We eventually were re-dispatched with fuel on board at the (new) re-dispatch point being only 200 lbs above required. Upon arrival in the ZZZZ terminal area; ATC informed us of delays of about 30 minutes and were assigned holding at a point equidistant between ZZZZ and ZZZZ1. We informed them that due to the previous reroute; we had only a little more than 5 minutes to hold. ATC informed us that short of our declaration of emergency; they couldn't help facilitate an earlier arrival in ZZZZ. After the 5 minutes expired; we asked them if we would encounter any delays if we were to divert to ZZZZ1. They responded after checking that none would be encountered. After further review of fuel required to get to ZZZZ1; we held several more minutes and eventually requested to divert. Upon switching frequencies to the ZZZZ1 Approach Controller; we were informed that we would be vectored 40 miles and eventually be landing on Runway XXL. We were #11 for the approach! I informed him of what the ZZZZ Controller said regarding delays into ZZZZ1; and he said the same thing as the other Controller -- nothing he could do without an emergency declaration. We then declared an emergency since our fuel state could have gotten dangerously low if we had accepted the vectors that he was planning for us. As it was; he moved us up to #4 after we declared and we landed with about 42 minutes of fuel at our weight (8700 lbs on touchdown). FAR 30-minute fuel of 6300 lbs at our planned landing weight at ZZZZ.

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.