A method and system for routing fiber channel frames using a fiber channel switch element is provided. The switch element includes, a port with a buffer having more than one memory slot for receiving fiber channel frames, wherein the port tracks a relative age of a first memory slot with respect to at least another memory slot; and frames are transmitted from a memory slot based on the relative age. The method includes, determining a relative age of a first memory slot with respect to at least another memory slot; and transmitting a frame from a memory slot based on the relative age. The method also includes, sending frames that have resided in a memory slot for a greater period compared to frames residing in at least another memory slot; and setting age bits in plural memory slots when frames are written and the relative age is determined based on the age bits. An aging table may be used to store the age bits of the plural memory slots.