B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Weight And Balance
General None Reported / Taken
Company Policy; Human Factors
Flight to Nashville. Dispatch Release had a note (to the effect) alternate added due to possible rain at destination Nashville. We were in an -800. Dispatch planned the fuel with approximately 13;000 pounds of tanker fuel. Our arrival fuel was planned at approximately 21;500. Although we were not close to Max Landing Weight; the arrival fuel got my attention because this is probably the most fuel I have ever seen (tankering/landing with) in my tenure at Company.Thinking through this; our crew discussed that the fuel load seemed a bit odd. Nashville airport doesn't have the longest runways (02s and 20s); plus the note about the rain. In an attempt to ensure we were keeping the priorities in the proper order; I decided to call Dispatch. Upon reaching our Dispatcher I explained the reason for the call. The release had a comment about alternate added due to possible rain at the destination. He said that it wasn't going to start raining until after our arrival (this struck me as somewhat dismissive because we all know the forecast can be wrong). So I explained to him that it looked odd having that much tanker fuel with possible rain. He told me that 'All the 'T's had been crossed and all the 'I's had been dotted; everything has been done the right way; routine... etc.' I said 'OK; but it just seems a little abnormal.' He said 'Not to be snarky; but I Dispatch more flights in a week than you fly in a year.' I thought to myself 'Wow...how many landings does this guy have in a heavy -800 on a short-ish wet runway?' Instead I said something to the effect that 'Dispatch doesn't always do the smart thing (none of us do). No one is infallible.' At that point the Dispatcher became really annoyed; asked me if I wanted to get the Chief Pilot on call involved. I declined and said that I was calling to see if it would be raining in Nashville for our arrival.We all make mistakes. We are all on the same team. Feedback helps us discover our mistakes. Arrogance does not accept feedback. Help each other out by listening and being humble.
B737 Captain reported receiving an Aircraft Release with an excess amount of fuel on landing at an airport with a forecast of rain.