LGW Arrivals

[Clematis]

Suppose you leave somewhere hot and sunny to arrive at LGW on schedule, early in the morning. 7 hours later you approach Ireland, running about 10 minutes early. Shannon clear you direct Evrin, you agree but say you need to slow down. London then clear you direct Gibso, direct MID which we politely refused but by now, we are high, slow and 12 minutes early. You get closer then LGW get the hump because you are early !

After 8 or nine hours, with Stansted diversion, I am not about to swan around England at 10,000 feet blowing any contingency fuel I may have held. Also I am over populated areas, in a holding pattern making a lot of noise because I am holding configured.

There has to be a better way surely ?

[roger]

This must be a first, complaining about direct routings....

Seriously, let us know.

I, where possible always clear a/c direct. That is until I'm told about the scenario you are describing to which I would offer dog-legs(!)or more often than not, speed at your discretion(expect to meet the SLP.) This happens every day at around 0530 into EGKK thru GIBSO with BAW traffic.

roger

[Clematis]

Roger,
You are right, normally I gladly accept directs, but we are told at work we must not arrive early - what kn*bhead dreamt that one up ?
I try my best to depart in order to arrive on schedule and I feel that once you are in the park so to speak, ATC generally want to get rid of you quickly and quietly. Who cares about 5 - 15 minutes either way. I would complain more as a passenger if my flight had to hold for that time purely for some beaurocrat.

[LateLandingClearance]

Things appear to need clarification;)

It's not LGW ATC that get the hump when you arrive early - lets face it, we probably don't actually know you've arrived 10 minutes before schedule (good we may be - carrying timetables in our head is just too much to ask :D ). The stroppy ones are presumably your company, who, in their wisdom have planned your movement to perfection to arrive on stand shortly after the flight that has been using it has pushed back.

As ATC we couldn't care less whether you are early. As you say, it does no-one any favours having you holding as it just pushes you back into the later rush period and burns your fuel. Much better to get you out of the way. Unfortunately, more often than not, by getting you on the ground, the problem is only transferred to the concrete on the airport, while you wait for aforementioned stand to be free.

I guess the best way to manage it, if you have your flight set up for an on time arrival is to politely refuse the directs offered further uproute. After the ATCO has picked him/herself off the floor, they should be able to work around you just pootling along your flightplanned route.

[chiglet]

LLC and Clematis
I think that we have a Generic "Apron/Stand Allocation" problem here.
At Manch, quite a few "early" arrivals are greeted with Horror:rolleyes:
As an ATSA [who is a link between Apron Control and the Pilot,
[via the ATCO],
I have a " question ". Does the crew of XXX123 call Company and "Advise" them that they are 15 mins early? Or just "Arrive"? I have to ask,'Cos it "sometimes" causes Problems.
I know which side of the fence I want to sit:D :D
we aim to please, it keeps the cleaners happy