We heard a Singapore Airlines 747 go 'missing' on north sea frequency this morning. His colleague (another SQ) was being asked to ACARS his Ops to get them to send a 'Wake Up' ACARS to the missing a/c. Sensed some reluctance to shop his mate to base!
When we were passed on to the next sector we were amazed to hear the 'missing' a/c ask for descent clearance on that freq. The controller went ballistic...bollocking him for being off air for over 80Nm despite numerous calls. He was given instructions to change frequency immediately to the other sector (our previous).
About five minutes later the same SQ a/c asked for descent again on the same freq(!) having obviously never changed over as instructed. The controller practically freaked out.
Sounded to me like a couple of very tired F/O's were making a mockery of running the show alone.
How can people still make this kind of a screw up after 9-11.
Don't they realise they could get shot out of the sky?