This is all getting a tad confused, especially with Roger editing his first post!
.7:
i AM an ATCO and I have never been told that pilots will not declare an emergency (or more probably a PAN) for low fuel
You do not need to be told that - it is not so. UK pilots WILL declare an emergency for low fuel. It is just that it will be a PAN or MAYDAY, not a 'Fuel emergency'. I think that is something from 411a's area?
Roger: -
I was merely questioning the logic of flying 50 miles to land, when the same result could be achieved in 20 miles by declaring a PAN. If it was not that serious why divert?
That is the ESTABLISHED procedure, (world-wide, I guess), and it encourages crews to take the right amount of fuel because, YES, diverting is worse than landing at destination - for everyone, but allowing someone who did not take the right fuel to shout 'help' and jump ahead of all those who did would create havoc.
I think you are misleading yourself by ?assuming? the diverting a/c was diverting IN AN EMERGENCY STATE? It probably was not. The diversion is normally 'routine' as far as R/T calls are concerned.