B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 231; Flight Crew Total 14437; Flight Crew Type 638
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
We were on the RNAV Arrival. We had just passed a fix on a 140 track. ATC had cleared us to descend to 6;000 feet from 11;000 feet he then changed the clearance to 9;000 feet. We were behind an [Airline X] flight. Approach turned us to a 200 heading. We could see a B747 at approximately 13;000 feet. The Controller turned us more right. It became clear that the Controller was going to make us follow the B747. We could also hear a [Airline Y] flight behind us on the arrival at 14;000 feet. We were vectored behind both of these aircraft. Progress page was showing us landing with 21.5 at beginning of arrival. Our flight was vectored on to the approach behind [Airline Z]. The Controller left our speed up so we became too close. When we were on about a 3 mile final he made us go around. We went around and were heading back out to sea. I declared minimum fuel. I told the controllers we needed to land now. Our fuel was showing 14.4. They seemed to want to bring us on a long downwind. I told them again we needed to land now. They turned us to join a Visual Approach. We landed with 12.2.I have been flying out of this airport for over XX years. This was the most gross incompetence I have seen in that time. The Air Traffic Controllers did not follow their own rules of first come; first serve. They did not follow their own rules of the lower aircraft had the right of way. They did not provide proper spacing as we were not told to follow the [Airline Z]. They did not coordinate between controllers as with the Approach Controller not knowing why we went around. The next controllers did not seem to know of our fuel state. It was a sad day in ZZZ airspace that could have ended in tragedy. This was on a clear day.
B777 pilot reported they had to go around due to insufficient spacing behind a B747 and landed below their planned fuel remaining.