A DC9 FLC ASKED TO REMAIN AT CRUISE ALT RATHER THAN DSND TO AVOID ABOVE PLANNED FUEL CONSUMPTION. UPON ARR AT DTW THE FLC DISCOVERED ARTCC HAD DECLARED A FUEL EMER FOR THE ACFT.

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BECAUSE OF ATC RERTE; WE WERE ALREADY USING 1900 LBS MORE FUEL ENRTE. WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT BY CTR TO FL290 FROM FL330. WE ASKED IF WE COULD STAY AT FL330 AS FUEL MAY BECOME CRITICAL. WE WERE ASKED IF WE WERE DECLARING AN EMER; TO WHICH WE REPLIED 'NEGATIVE.' WE WERE ALLOWED TO STAY AT FL330 AND GIVEN MORE DIRECT ROUTING; WHICH MADE OUR FUEL SIT WORK OUT WELL. ON DSCNT; WE FOUND OUT THAT SOMEONE HAD DECLARED AN EMER FOR US. WE INFORMED APCH THAT WE WERE NOT AN EMER AND NORMAL HANDLING WAS SUFFICIENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 447131: I HAVE NOTICED INCREASED PROBS WITH THE FAA ARTCC OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS. WE WERE DIRECTED TO DSND FROM FL330 TO FL290. WE ASKED TO STAY AT FL330 BECAUSE OF OUR FUEL SIT. ZAU ASKED US IF WE WERE DECLARING AN EMER; AND WE RESPONDED NEGATIVE. WE WERE ALLOWED TO STAY AT FL330 AND ALL WAS NORMAL UNTIL WE ARRIVED IN XYZ. APCH WAS CONCERNED AS TO OUR EMER FUEL STATE. WE NEVER DECLARED AN EMER; DISPATCH DIDN'T DECLARE AN EMER; AND WE WERE NOT TREATED AS AN EMER.