ARRIVING AT CLT WITH MINIMUM FUEL; B737-400 REQUIRED TO GO AROUND DUE TO ACFT ON RWY. DECLARE LOW FUEL EMER; RETURN AND LAND.

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WAS IN LOW FUEL STATE. NOT CRITICAL ON INITIAL APCH. VECTORED TO 23 MI FINAL. AT 170 KTS TURNED TO FINAL. AT 17 MI OUT SLOWED TO GEAR DOWN; FLAPS 15 DEGS; 150 KTS. CESSNA CITATION WAS LEADING ACFT. TWR CLRED DH8 INTO POS. CESSNA MISSED TURNOFF. ISSUED GAR AT 400 FT. DECLARED 'EMER; MINIMUM FUEL.' VECTORED TO CLOSE-IN VISUAL APCH AND LANDED NORMALLY. GATE ARR FUEL WAS 4300-4500 LBS. THE EMER WAS DECLARED TO AVOID EXTENDED FINAL AGAIN; AND ENSURE A CLR RWY FOR LNDG. WE DID NOT GO INTO RESERVE FUEL; BUT COULD HAVE IF WE FLEW SAME TYPE OF FINAL. WE COULD HAVE AVOIDED THE PROB HAD TWR NOT CLRED DH8 INTO POS. WHAT IS MORE TROUBLING THOUGH -- WHILE ON 2ND APCH TWR CLRED ANOTHER DH8 ONTO RWY IN FRONT OF US -- INCREDIBLE! LUCKILY ACFT DEPARTED NORMALLY. HAD THIS ACFT ABORTED OUR FUEL STATE ON A 2ND GAR WOULD HAVE BEEN USING VFR RESERVE FUEL. LASTLY; COMPANY DISPATCHERS HAVE BEEN TOLD TO CUT FUEL TO BARE MINIMUM. I HOPE OTHER ACFT WILL NOT ENCOUNTER MINIMUM FUEL LIKE WE DID. THERE IS NO ROOM FOR ERROR. ALL FACTORS CONSPIRED AGAINST US THIS TIME.