AN MD88 FLC HAS TO DECLARE A FUEL EMER WHEN THE ZFW CTLR REFUSES TO ACCEPT THEIR PLEA OF MINIMUM FUEL CONDITION AS A REASON TO NOT GIVE THEM DELAYING VECTORS FOR TFC W OF DFW; TX.

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PSP TO DFW. WE LEFT PSP WITH 21600 LBS OF FUEL. WE WERE GOING TO CLB TO 37000 FT. WE WERE GIVEN 29000 FT AS A FINAL. OVER TUSCOLA WE ADVISED ATC THAT WE WERE MINIMUM FUEL AND COULD NOT HAVE ANY DELAYS GOING TO DFW. ABOUT 5 MINS LATER ATC TOLD US TO TURN R 90 DEGS. WE TOLD HIM OF OUR FUEL MINIMUMS AGAIN AND TOLD HIM WE COULD NOT TURN; AND NEEDED TO GO TO DFW ON OUR COURSE. ATC THEN SAID; 'WELL; ARE YOU DECLARING AN EMER?' I SAID; 'YES; BECAUSE WE COULD NOT TAKE TURNS AND DSCNTS.' WE WENT ON TO DFW AND LANDED WITH 3900 LBS OF FUEL. THE WX WAS CLR AT DFW. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 469097: FLT WAS PROGRAMMED FOR FL330 WITH A STEP UP TO FL370 AND AN ON DECK FUEL OF 6300 LBS OF FUEL. OUT OF PSP WE WERE GIVEN FL290 AS A FINAL BECAUSE OF CONFLICTING TFC. WE TRIED FOR HIGHER SEVERAL TIMES BUT IT WAS UNAVAILABLE. ATC ASKED IF WE WERE DECLARING AN EMER OR WHAT. AT THIS POINT CAPT FELT HE HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO DO SO AS ATC OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT GIVING ANY MEANING TO MINIMUM FUEL. EVEN WITH THE EMER DECLARED; ATC STILL GAVE VECTORS AND SUCH THAT WERE NOT EFFICIENT. ATC NEEDS TO BE MORE IN TUNE WITH THESE TERMS AND PROVIDE THE NECESSARY ASSISTANCE.