FACED WITH STRONG GUSTING CROSSWINDS TO A SHORT RUNWAY; THE FATIGUED FLIGHT CREW OF A B747-400 IS REFUSED THEIR DESIRED LANDING RUNWAY AT ORD.

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WE WERE ENROUTE TO ORD ON A FERRY FLIGHT AFTER A MILITARY CHARTER FROM EUROPE. WE HAD BEEN AWAKE (EXCEPT FOR CREW REST BREAKS) FOR ABOUT 18 HOURS AT THE TIME OF LANDING. FATIGUE WAS DEFINITELY AN ISSUE IN THIS INCIDENT. ORD WAS REPORTING STRONG; GUSTY CROSSWINDS OF 190 DEGREES AT 17 KTS GUSTING TO 25 KTS AND WE WERE ASSIGNED RUNWAY 27L. I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT LANDING ON RUNWAY 27L WITH SUCH STRONG CROSSWINDS WITH A FATIGUED CREW AND A SHORT RUNWAY. I TOLD THE CONTROLLER THAT WE WOULD REQUIRE RUNWAY 22R; WHICH WAS ALSO IN USE FOR LANDING; FOR OPERATIONAL REASONS. MY REQUEST WAS SUMMARILY DENIED DUE TO TRAFFIC. THE CONTROLLER STATED; 'WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT.' I ASKED WHY; AND IF RUNWAY 22R WAS NOW CLOSED. THE ANSWER WAS THAT IT WAS OPEN BUT BECAUSE WE COULD NOT DO LAHSO ON RUNWAY 22R HE WOULD NOT APPROVE IT. IT SEEMED THAT WE WERE BEING PENALIZED FOR OUR INABILITY TO CONDUCT LAHSO. I WAS TOO TIRED AND FRUSTRATED BY THIS POINT TO GET INTO A BIG ARGUMENT WITH ATC. I WAS CLEARLY AWARE THAT I COULD HAVE EXERCISED MY EMERGENCY AUTHORITY; BUT CHOSE NOT TO DO SO. WE LANDED ON RUNWAY 27L IN DIRECT CROSSWINDS GUSTING TO 28 KTS; 48 KTS ON FINAL. SAFETY WAS DEFINITELY DEGRADED BY ATC NOT BEING ABLE TO GRANT OUR REQUEST. I UNDERSTAND THAT WE CANNOT ALWAYS GET WHAT WE WOULD LIKE; BUT IN THIS CASE; SAFETY WAS CLEARLY DEGRADED BY THE CONTROLLER'S LACK OF FLEXIBILITY. NEXT TIME; I AM GOING TO INSIST ON OPERATING THE FLIGHT AS I SEE FIT IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR 91.3 AND NOT LET ATC OR ANYONE ELSE DEGRADE OUR LEVEL OF SAFETY WHEN I HAVE LEGITIMATE SAFETY CONCERNS. O'HARE'S CAPACITY PROBLEM SHOULD NOT BE SOLVED BY REDUCING THE LEVEL OF SAFETY TO AN UNACCEPTABLE LEVEL; AS WAS DONE IN THIS CASE.