Originally Posted by indufan
Sure, but I thought the FAA rules were simple and straightforward. A passenger jet much have enough fuel onboard to fly to an alternate airport + 45 minutes. I asssume that as a measure of being cost effective that all airlines are putting exactly that amount of fuel on the plane.
Don't forget the hold and contingency fuel. It could well have been they used their hold fuel and now were on reserve in which case I would have decalred an emergency and landed. Don't forget you could be on short final to land and something ahead closes the airport. You still need your 45mins of reserve to go around and to go somewhere else - and you may have no hold fuel left. All legal and legit.
I fully support the crew in their declaration and probably under the circumstances the correct thing to do. We dont't know how long they had been holding for, but 7.30 to 9.30 is 2 hours for what should be a 50 min trip.