Outofsynch
As spekesoftly was saying I think that was exactly what went on. The controller was clarifying or making sure of the reasons for the diversion.
When (as I previously said) the crew replied “commercial reasons”, he then asked if a flight plan had been submitted. Then the crew changed it to technical reasons.
It didn’t sound to me as if the controller was probing for any more info than he required.
And as I said before, the crew also said “we are levelling off at FL120 and proceeding to ALC”. In other words they were not requesting or discussing a diversion but informing ATC of what they were actually doing.
That to me gave it the tone of something more serious than a commercial change of destination.
