Declaring an emergency.
Many years ago while I was flying left seat on the MD-80 for NWA we were trying to get into DTW. The clouds were loaded with water and it was cold enough to make ice with lumps. We were going downwind for an ILS approach folllowing a long line trying to get on the localizer for the approach. If we could climb just 1000 ft, we would be out of it, but the controllers, sitting in a nice room would not let us climb. We finally got into our slot and were tracking inbound, came almost to the outer marker when I heard British Air asking for a priority approach as they were icing up and needed down right now. The controller turned all of us on approach to get in line for another approach, I am trying to get in the communication, but can't. To say the least, I was very mad and that is putting mildly. We again had to fly out bound and get in another line for the approach, all this time we are packing ice. When we got on the ground, I went to our operations and called the tower to get that controller that did this to us. He said, "If you wanted to get in first you should have asked for priority. That is what the British guy did and he got away with it. I wouldn't have done that to all the guys in front of me. I finally got in touch with the British captain, he appoligized saying he has never seen that much ice on his airiplane and didn't know what else to do. Guess he never flew around the Great Lakes in the winter. Anyway, we don't use the priority, emergency because we don't want to fill all that paperwork and we don't want our fellow pilots to think we got into a situation that required the help on the ground. Well, I can tell you, I learned from the day, I use priority when ever I think it will make my flight safer. That is what it is for. Ted Wirch