It really has to be reiterated that denying clearance is not necessarily as a result of conflicting traffic.
Then that is not an air traffic control system is it? If you're denying a clearance because it's all too complex, then whomever designed the the system needs a good hard kick up the arse.
The ATC may have complex procedures that they need to go through to allow your airways clearance. There may be coordination, route requirements, local instructions, etc etc, that all need to be sorted before a clearance can be given.
So what? Do what you're paid to do.
Not to mention systems issues with a rapidly aging ATC system.
Horse****, it's not rapidly ageing.
Plus, they may not just be controlling your particular part of the world. They may be getting pumped in another section of their airspace. Plus, because of the staffing pressure that airservices is currently experiencing (due to funding pressure from industry and government), these areas of jurisdiction are getting ever larger.
Valid. Except for the funding pressure from the government, they make a profit.
I am led to believe that you can fly all the way from Archerfield to Bankstown talking to a single controller (excluding a few minutes with the Approach guys). That's a huge area to deal with, considering some of the aviation hotspots in that particular corridor.
Who's fault is that?
Please don't see me as an ATC apologist. I just don't like people in this thread that are blaming ATC, when instead it's the system and culture created by industry that might be worth looking at.
I don't see too many peeps blaming the controllers.
Probably for the 10th time in this thread, it's not the controllers fault, it's the garbage airspace they work.
But I'll tell ya a couple of things, controllers are constantly told (by their employer) they are amongst the best in the world, really? They are told they have the best airspace system in the world, really? Despite this, ASA is petrified of liability, the arseguarding is world's best practice.
There is also a deep culture of 'f@ck VFR, we don't make money out of them, piss off OCTA'