Narrative:

I initially called dispatch and mentioned two things to the dispatcher; 1) we were flight planned for FL320; I mentioned to her that I heard pilot reports coming in that the rides above FL280 were moderate chop. 2) I asked for 1;500 pounds of captain added fuel to go back at FL280 if need be. She said she would add it. Arrival fuel was planned to be 6;254 pounds. I pulled up the new flightplan and saw that my new arrival fuel was 7;361 pounds. It should have been 7;754 pounds. I realized this after I had already signed the flightplan. I noticed that the original fuel was disp add of 600 pounds and hold fuel of 1;843 pounds. After she added the 1;500 pounds of captain added fuel it dropped to disp add 400 pounds and hold fuel of 1;589 pounds (454 pounds less). I called back to ask her why the arrival fuel had dropped. She responded in a very evasive way with a lot of ahh's and humm's. She said that she took off 300 pounds for the cost to carry the 1;500 pounds I asked for. I said; so if I ask for 1;500 pounds; I really am not getting it. She said; you got your 1;500 pounds. She said no one ever mentioned about this before. I see a problem. I think I am being manipulated and my captain's authority usurped. This is not the first time I seen this. I noticed this my last two trips. I called back and asked the dispatcher and he said he must have made a mistake. I see a pattern here that is egregious. I believe these phone conversations are recorded. You can verify what was said. I have the release's for the flight for the before and after the captain's add 1;500 pounds of fuel. The incentive for dispatchers to get bonuses for saving fuel is a conflict of interest and should be stopped.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 Captain reports requesting an additional 1;500 LBS of fuel from the Dispatcher to accommodate flight at a lower altitude for turbulence. The Flight Release shows the 1;500 LBS additional fuel but also 450 LBS removed from other areas of the fuel load; resulting in less arrival fuel than the Captain expected.

Narrative: I initially called Dispatch and mentioned two things to the Dispatcher; 1) We were flight planned for FL320; I mentioned to her that I heard pilot reports coming in that the rides above FL280 were moderate chop. 2) I asked for 1;500 LBS of Captain added fuel to go back at FL280 if need be. She said she would add it. Arrival fuel was planned to be 6;254 LBS. I pulled up the new flightplan and saw that my new arrival fuel was 7;361 LBS. It should have been 7;754 LBS. I realized this after I had already signed the flightplan. I noticed that the original fuel was DISP ADD of 600 LBS and HOLD fuel of 1;843 LBS. After she added the 1;500 LBS of CAPT Added fuel it dropped to DISP ADD 400 LBS and HOLD fuel of 1;589 LBS (454 LBS less). I called back to ask her why the arrival fuel had dropped. She responded in a very evasive way with a lot of ahh's and humm's. She said that she took off 300 LBS for the cost to carry the 1;500 LBS I asked for. I said; so if I ask for 1;500 LBS; I really am not getting it. She said; you got your 1;500 LBS. She said no one ever mentioned about this before. I see a problem. I think I am being manipulated and my Captain's authority usurped. This is not the first time I seen this. I noticed this my last two trips. I called back and asked the Dispatcher and he said he must have made a mistake. I see a pattern here that is egregious. I believe these phone conversations are recorded. You can verify what was said. I have the release's for the flight for the before and after the Captain's add 1;500 LBS of fuel. The incentive for dispatchers to get bonuses for saving fuel is a conflict of interest and should be stopped.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.