Originally Posted by
FlyboyPhil
...They could have made it much easier on themselves and the controllers by saying "min fuel, we need an immediate visual to 31R." Followed by the emergency declaration if the controller didn't play ball. Stating you need 31R doesn't mean you have to have it immediately.. they were taking him out for vectors into the 31R sequence because it was a secret that he was low on gas.
This whole sequence of events occurred with the local controller. Who's to say he didn't declare minimum fuel with center or approach? I'm willing to bet he already had. He probably had requested 31R, also.