Widebody Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Workload; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Confusion
Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory
Airport; Company Policy; Procedure
While being vectored on downwind for PHL; Approach Control notified all aircraft that the airport was closed due to an aircraft incident on Runway 27L and that holding would be necessary. The airport would be closed for an indeterminate time. We checked our fuel and it was 24.1K and a divert was a real possibility. We checked weather at EWR and BWI. No alternate was listed on our flight plan with no planned ALT fuel. We notified Dispatch of our probable divert to get their input. EWR weather was clear; winds 300/30G42 and BWI was CAVOK; winds 300/25. BWI seemed the best option. Dispatch responded; after a moderate delay; of using IAD as the divert. We determined IAD was suitable; but further than BWI. We immediately departed with vectors for IAD. Most other aircraft were headed to BWI. While being vectored for final at IAD we declared 'MIN FUEL' and approach shortened our arrival. We landed uneventfully and blocked in with 11.3 FOB. While the airport closure was beyond anyone's control; the policy of minimum FOD was a contributing factor. The company policy of minimum FOD for financial reasons is unsafe. In this case a divert for unforeseen events was was uneventful. While an alternate airport for weather may not be required by FAA regulations; minimum fuel policy is a company policy which should be changed. Arriving at major airports like PHL; EWR; JFK; LAX and many others with minimum fuel is not safe. Most captains I know add extra fuel to every flight for safety; but why should we have to call every time? Because we had an extra 2.4K pounds of fuel on the aircraft on arrival for preflight; we were able to land at just above 'Emergency Fuel'. Now I know we could have landed at BWI or other military fields closer than IAD; wouldn't a little extra fuel every time prevent events like this?
An air carrier Captain reported declaring minimum fuel after PHL unexpectedly closed which required they divert to IAD having uploaded dispatch fuel plus 2;400 pounds extra.